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https://micivilwar.com/authors/louks-william-a/
Regiment: 56th Ohio Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
New Orleans, La
May the 30th, 1865
Dearest Mary,
I once more seat myself to answer your most welcome letter which came to hand last
week. I was sorry that your health was not good but I hope that you may be enjoying
good health by this time. My health is good except a bad cold but I think I shall soon be
well of that. You said that you did not get a letter the week before you wrote. Well, Mar, I
am sure it was not my fault for I have not missed writing to you once a week since I left
you and there was one week that I wrote you three or rather I wrote three in 8 days
which was not far from a week.
I wish Ralph good luck over his discharge. He wished to have it bad enough. That letter
that he mailed for you was mailed on the 14th of April and was directed by him and had
a plain white envelope so you can guess pretty well about it as you know whether you
get them to back it and what kind of an envelope it had on. I hardly reckon that he would
break the letter open and read it though I thought I would caution you about writing such
rough things about him and his Captain for fear he might take a notion to see what you
had to say but I think if he took the trouble to read that he will not want to take the same
[ ? ] again as it was not very complimentary to him or Captain either.
Dear May, seem to think that we will be at home almost right away. Well May, I wish it
was so. I know I would be as glad as anyone and I hate to break your prospects May
but I will have to. I am sure, Dearest May, if you cook for me soon that you will be
disappointed for there are no orders to muster out anybody but sick soldiers and those
that their time is near out. It is true that they are mustering a good many regiments out
in Washington but here and in that place are two different armies. We have the best of
the news here but you will here it long ere this reaches you.
Kirby Smith has surrendered and we are entitled to our discharges but I am almost sure
that we will not get them because we are veterans so you see May what a fellow gets
for serving his country faithfully. They will compel him to do most anything no odds what
was promised him. I will promise them one thing. If they do not give me my discharge
now in accordance with their promise I will make them a very poor soldier in time to
come. If they go to war with France which I hope will not come till I get out of the
service.
My regiment, May, does not belong to a division now. It is independent at present but
could soon be put in one. You do not think I would tell you if I was coming. I will give you
my promise, May, that I will write as soon as I find out that we will get our discharge and
if you should see an order for mustering out all volunteers then you may know that will
soon get us our discharges and you need not write anymore to me here though the
regiment might get discharged and I not as I am not with it.
Well May, I had got me some money of the boys that had been payed and bought me a
pen and day book but last night a thief came along and got money, pen and all. There
was one of four men got it but I cannot tell which is guilty truly. I have good luck but I
have good friends here so I borrow stamps and pens and I have the rest.
Stay well, keep writing till they steal my paper.
