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Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Grand Rapids Oct 20/61
Dear Gardner;
I have just got
home to night and found a couple of letters waiting for
me they came last night I received that pictur and
the fold dollar and thank you very much for them
I do not think the pictur is a very bad one, although I
have seen better. I am satisfied with it for I have got two
as good pictures of you as any one could wish for if it
was not for that and this one would be perfect nor-
mal I think your whiskers have grown some they must be
as long as they was before you cut them off. Do not blame
ma, for opening my letters while I was gone she would not
have done it if I had been here. she was very anxious to hear
from you and did not know how long it would be
before she would have a chance to send them to me I went
to go to Vermont very much but our folks will not
let me go without them and I think it is doubtful about
their going if dont know as pa can sell the horse for money
and if he does not I donot think we will go, I hope you
will always have good luck and proper will so that
I shall be able to see you before many months more have
passed I am very glad to hear that you fare better and
feel better satisfied then you did and hope you will
keep doing so. I commenced a letter to you on your birth-
day but as I was in the country and did not know
where I should have a chance to get it to the office I did
not finish it but wrote one last sunday and put it
into the office at Ada monday morning. Vern, Gerta &
me went down there to take Sabrina to the cars, it is not
near as good looking a place as I thought it was it
looked like a mud hole to me. I suppose one of the
Cavalry Reg’t are to leave here next friday but do not know
for certainty is a sight for me to see the tents and so many
horses up there but I suppose it is nothing for you. Tell Byron
Brewer that he must learn his Bridget to write more
often and than he will not want to read my letters. Oct on
[ ? ] got so late and I was so tired last night that
I left this to finish this morning. There has been
a hard frost most every night for more then
a week and last night it was so cold that
watter froze. it is almost cold enough to snow
and I guess it will before long. Old Mr. Godwin
and Mr Donly are both dead they died yesterday
There was a fire in the night last night, I do not
know where it was but it was some where near the Depot
or over the river ther did not any of the folks go down
Aunt Emily has
has had a letter from David. he was well
and hearty he wrote that one of their Regiment had
cut his throat but not bad enough to kill him, the man
said that if he had had a long enough knife he would
cut his head off. I think he must have been crazy.
We had a letter from Edwin the other day he wrote
that they was to be mustered into the U.S. service last
Tuesday. he intends to come home before they leave Marshall.
We have just found out where the fire was last night
it was Mr Feys new house that
that they
moved into yesterday they did not save any thing
not even their cloths Mr Fey got his pants and
shirt was all. It was the men that you enlisted
under first. Pa is going down street now as
I would write more will try and write a longer
one next time Good Bye for this time
with much love
Mary Baxter
