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Regiment: 1st Michigan Light Artillery
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Apr 14th 1863
Murfreesboro Tennessee
Dear Brother & Sister
I take this opertunity to write
you a few lines to let you know that I am enjoying
good health hoping this will find you in a prosperous
condition. I have not recd a letter from Mich since
yours of March 27
th I am expecting a letter today
We are having a rainy day of it but I am glad to see
it come rain is just what we needed to lay the dust.
Well now to tell you the truth I feel Damed lonesome
today so to pass away the lonesome hours I will try
& write you a letter but I don’t know whether I will make
it much or not John I wish this God damb war
will be fetched to a
[ ? ] but
[ ? ] close
it is killing off the best men we have in the country
by hundreds & thousands (yes hundreds of thousands)
just to gratify ambitious Aristocratic tractors.
I
would like to have the sentence of every rebel & every
copperhead in my power. I would send them to Hell
in the south east corner so that the North west wind
would blow fire & ashes in their eyes eternaly. Dam
em. I would like to see the southern Traitors and
Northern Copperheads all laying on southern sail
with their throats cut from ear to ear in honor
of the so called southern confederacy. Our forces has
been defeated (so reported) at Charleston South Carolina
so you see things looks rather gloomy to be cheering to
a soldier. I don’t believe that eastern troops with New
England generals is worth a curse to fight for they
dont make out much any way. I have seen as hard
Battles as ever was faught & we always come off
victorious. And why is it. it is because we have Gens
that know their buisiness & knows the blood of wes
tern boys And they know we cant be whiped with half
a chance Here at the stone River Battle the Rebs had the
advantage of us in every respect. They picked their
Battle ground & we had to attact them. Well what was
the result The Rebs faught pretty Desperate for four
days & Nights & found out that the Yankees was long winded
so they skiddadled of co If all our armies had
faught with us much
[ ? ]ation as this a
has. I think this Dambnoble Rebellion would have
been crushed long ago well you may think I am
puffing a good deal but I am writing just as I feel on
the subject. Well the mail has come & I did not get a letter
so I will keep on writing well I expect you have gone
to work at your trade before now I hope you had good luck
making maple sugar for it will help you a good deal for
grocerys must be high Well I have only 10 days over 1 year to serve
Uncle Sam from the looks of things now the war wont be at on
end then & I don’t care a cuss either way
You must excuse all my swearing & I will try not swear
in my next letter It is evening & I will finish this letter
It rains like hell, & the boys is nearly all to roast so I guess
I can finish this in double quick time I was over to the 4 Cavalry
yesterday but E K Robberts was out with the Regt so I did not see him
Carlton puck is well so is Jim Niles but George Niles is in the
convalescent Barracks yet He is lame yet we have field drill every
day & we have inspection every week The officers is afraid that we will forget
how to soldier it so they keep us in trim all the while. I suppose
[ ? ] Niles
sleeps with Betsy Bliss & takes care of the whole family. Well it be darn
if I would marry the gal & take the whole family. I aint had any letter
from Jim yet & I dont know as I ever will
[ ? ] I don’t care
The Rebs made a raid on the Rail Road between here & Nashville last
Saturday & took the express train & part of the 10
th Mich Inft
prisoners They burnt the train after plundering it & then they
skiddadled as usual The 77
th Ill Refused duty the other afternoon
for which they was put on
[ ? ] duty for four days & nights
digging for a magazine, perhaps they will learn better than to refuse
duty again there was a soldier in the 40
th Regt Indiana volunteers
shot on the 10
th of this month. for deserting his coming in the face
of the enemy at the battle at Stone River. One of the 18
th Regular
U.S. Inft was both belonged to our Division. It is pretty hard
to shoot our own soldiers. But for the safty of & Disipline of the army
there has to be examples made of some desperate fellows.
You must give my best respects to all inquiring friends & good
looking gals. My respects to Mr & Mrs Tuttle you must excuse
my short letter and poor writing & all vulgarity please write
soon & be sure & write all the news
I heard that polly hill was married so you will see the
little half breeds will be running around thicker than ever
well I believe I would die an old Bach before I would have a brute
when I gete out of the Army I will take my ease for a spell
for I will be too lazy to work, tell me in your next whether emely
Richards is married yet or not so no more at present from your
affectionate brother Elias B Van Marter
To Jack and Net
PS Direct as before
We sigh for the Blessings of peace boys
we tire of the war bugles blast
wel conquer before we go home boys
wel fight for our flag to the last
stick in a postage stamp for they are hard to get hold of here
yours truly
& &
