Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/vanvalkenburgh-george-w/
Regiment: 23rd Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
If I only had a rope around your
neck I think I pull this way and give
a little kiss. I hope I shall have that priveledge
from you wife.
Em Van
Sunday, July 19, 1863
My dear George What shall I say
to you I hardly not I received a
letter from you last night dated
July the 7 it has been 12 dayes
a coming I thought it wase a
long time but I wase so glad
to here form you and to her that
you are well I hope it is just
as you say about your health this
hase been a day of exsitement
here It hase been very warm here
today but I presume it is nothing
to what it is where you are Oh George
I have thought of you so much this
[ ? ] warm weather and have wondered
how you have stood it as well
as you have you wrote me that
you had me up your mind
not to march when you did not
feel well I wase very glad to here
you say that if you do you
would not stand it but a little
while I commensted writting of
the exsitement here today. John
Warden’s furenel surmen wase
preached here today. I do not
feel much like writing today
I attended the funerel but I felt so
bad all through the surmen it
most made me sick. I did not no
how soon wee would be cald to
attend yours in the same place
Oh dear I hope it never will be. I
had thought so much of seing
you here to spend the fourth
I felt as though it wase to bad that
you could not come I am afrade
that you never will come now but I
do hope that you will come. I did
want you should come and se
your baby once more. It seemed
to me that if could come and
see her you would relize more
that you had got a child and
a dear one too I hope you will
be spared to see her once more
I think you would be proud of here
as she grows older she reminds me
more of Ella, she left in yonder
graveyard no Father no Mother
nor friend to visit her little grave
but she is better off but George
when you are gone I am afrade I can’t
feel so but I hope and pray that
you will be spared to meat us
once more in this world if can’t
be so I hope wee will be prepared
to meat in heaven George you must
trust in the Lord for your safety
I think after the exsitement
is over their that they will grant
furlows again I do hope so and
hope you will spared to get one
and come home it seemed to hard
that you could not come I tell you
George these are lonely dayes for me
living in such a suspence I presume
you have your lonely days as well
as me but George trust in the Lord
and trust that wee may meat again
We may hapaily togeather again
before wee die. Hope is what keeps
the hart whole George Fannie and Jack
wase married yesterday. I presume
that they are happy know but George their
trubles and sorrows have not come yet
their is no one without their trouble
it will come sooner or later but George
I hope yours and mine my best days
are not spent yet Barner Dancer and
his mother wase her today Fran
and Jack came back a little while ago
the barroom wase fool of men I tell
you Jack had to treat the crowd They all felt pretty nice Ther is a great
exsitement about the draft here
I presume that you have heard about the mob
in N.Y. they have had a great time
they have rebelled and kild a great many
they resist the draft the law is
those that can can pay three hundred dollars
and stay at home that is what made
the trouble I think it is a mean
law I don’t think that a man that has
got money is eny better to go than
one hase none. It is getting most dark
I shal have to close I am very tiered
and wee have had a good many here to tea
and mother is sick a bed. wee had around
the Dr. and his wife is here yet I wish you
could see them you would like them I no
I have these lines will find you injoying your
self Your Mother is very well at present
Write often Em Van
