Click here for this soldier’s biography: https://micivilwar.com/authors/halsted-sylvester-o/
Regiment: 19th Michigan Infantry Battles Mentioned: Fort Donelson, Tennessee Historical Figures:
Camp Grainger Novem the 12, 1862 Dear Brother and Sister it is with pleasure that I inform you that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you the same I recieved a letter from you and was glad to here from you agane you rote that you had received but one letter from me I have riten five or six I directed two letters to Clayton have you got them It may be that they have got miss caried I am in three miles of lexington It is fine country niggers as thick as hogs and wenches are ordinary I thought I would take one of them but they are so black and greecy that I can not go them They are too much wench for me. I left lont to cincinnati he sent me word the other day that he would be would with us in a few days we got orders to march for nashvill, Ten. we start tomorrow morning the boys are feeling well about it they are ancious to get further south it is raining today and the boys are all in the tent the boys are raising kane and I cant hardly rite when I get to nashvill I will rite again and tell you more about my travels about that carpit bag I sent your shirts to you and give her my shoes if she would do sum sewing for me but she never done it it is so long ago that I dnt know what was in it I did not send any money and I am glad of it for I dont no how long it will be fore I shall get any more when the regiment left gavilpit Ash sent home his trunk I sent my watch and pipe to you. William Larkin will have to get after them for I directed them to him I did not know whare you was tell Oliv and mart I wish them much joy I dont think of any thing more to rite this time this from your from affectionate Brother S.O. Halsted Co. H 19th Mich. Inft. Lexington Ky and it will come to me
Nicholsville Jan the 2 1863 Dear Brother and Sister it is with pleasure that I seat my self to pen a few lines to you to let you know that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you the same it has been some time since I hav ritten to you I will tell you the reson it was for the want of poststamps they are hard to be got when a man has no money and among straingers I am at work in the hospital as a nurs there is about 50 sick men here now. they are all doing well I think that most of them will go to there companes in a few days the 19 rig is at danvill about 25 miles from here they went from here about three weeks ago I have not hird from any of the boys since they left I think hey wer well when they went lont is at Camp Denison in ohio how long he will stay there is more than I know they let a fellow stay till gets tired of them then he has to take as much longer before he can get transpertation the last I hird from him he was abet to eat his rations I live very well in the hospital the nurses has brisket and butter rise puding and sugar pleanty beef stak tea or coffee as we chose the boys are getting fat hear it is a pleasant country it is as pleasant as may not a bit of snow the sun shining and birds singing I liked to forgot to tel you that I had seen Wm Price he is fat as a bear write soon direct Co H. 19 mich inft volunters give my respects to all inquring friends this from you Brother S O Halsted Truman & Mary Holsted I got a letter from Uretta yesterday
Danvill, Ky Jan the 17th 1863 Dear Brother and Sister its with pleasure that I improve this opertunity to inform you that I am well at present and hope and trust these few lines will find you the same It has been some time since I had a letter from you I hardly know what to write we are doing nothing onley garding rebil property this is what I hate as the boy said when he wet a bed I was out on picket day before yesterday it rained hard all day till turned to snow and froze it was a desperate hard night to bee out I went to a house to dry my cloths and they fave me a warm super and asked me to come to breakfast in the morning you can bet I was on hand like a wort about a week ago we had a match shoting for a fat hog it made sport for us the Colnol paid the beer and oysters to the regiment for new year and cristmas we enjoy our selvs very well considring that it is camp life in the winter the 6 of this month there was a white man and [line missing] that had been shot and failed to burst and tride to open it by turning the cap with a coldchisel the niger held it between his knees while the other tride to turn the cap when the shell burst killing the niger and wonded the white man sligtly in the leg it lurned the boys to let things be that they cant handel we have a betery atached to our reigment Ash is first lieutenant in the batery I dont know as I can think of any thing more this from your brother S O Halsted Write Soon Direct to SO Halsted Co H. 19 Mich Inft Danvill Ky
Danvill Ky Jan the 20th 1863 Dear Brother it is with the greatest pleasure that I improve this opertunity to inform you that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you the same I recieved a letter from you last night and was very glad to hear from you it is raning and we are all in the tent I am on camp gard today I onley have to stand on post to tours in 24 so it is not very hard my post is in a barn so I will be in the dry we do hear a great meny camp stores about the war closing but I think we will all bee glad to see the time come tell uncol John that I would like to see him I send him my best respects to him I sent my Sertifercate of enlistment to you did you get it tell me in your next letter whether you got it or not do not sell my watch or gun the story is that we shall march in a few days for richmon in ky, for a guard we have 4 rigments and a betery here if you want to send me any you may be sure that any thing that I can eat drink or ware will come good to me if you send me any thing send it by itself put it in a box and Direct it to
Remember me when this you see and press it nere your heart and I will do the same by you tho meny miles A part
Danvill Ky Jan. 23 Dear Brother it is but little I can write now I rote the other day and I have no more news at present onley I resieved a letter from Elijah and here it is read it and then send it Supremeid as son as you get it we march toary I am well and hope these few lines will find you the same this from your Brother SO Holsted Direct to Lexington Ky to follow the rigment
Nashville, Tenn. Feb the 7th 63 Dear Brother and Sister it is with the greatest pleasure that I improve this presious opertunity to pen a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines will find you the same we marched from Danvill Jan the 30th and had 5 days hard marching it rained and snode for 3 three days of the time we then took the steamer and came to Nashvill and here I am on the steamer yet Alanson is laying by my side snoring perhaps dreaming of home he is the fatest I ever saw him he come to the rigment at lewisvill ky well I must tell you something about the trip we came to fort donolson there we landed for one day they had a fight there the day before we arived and the rebs got fed canester and gape to hearts content perhaps you have hurd the reports before this time the boys and myself went over the batelfield it shode the efect of powder and lead our men was buisy hiding the rebels under the sod dead men and horses and broken wagons lay over the ground it looked [line missing] we started the next day with our guns in our hands expecting to be engaged on the river they would had a hapy time I recon for we was about 30,00 strong we was garded with 4 gun boats we was a hard lookind lot of boys to handel well we are here the michigan 11 and Fuselears are hear we have not ben aloud to go on shore today we will try to find levy and bill as soon as we can get on shore I had a leter from herburt he said they wer well the boys are all well hear. I wish you could just look in the caben of the Ohio No 3 you could see a happy lot of sleeping solders they are crowed togather like sheep but all is peasiful and quiet give my respects to all inquiring friends excuse and except this from your efectionate friend and brother SO Holsted write soon direct to Nashvill tenasee I will send some money to you when I get some again do not send a box now it will not come safe tel net I will bring hur some canday when I come Good Night
Brentwood Ten March 2 63 Dear Brother and sister it is with pleasure that I improve this opertunity to let you know that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you the same I just returned from picket and I am sleepy it is pleasant spring weather hear the grass is groing green and every thing looks fine we are about 15 miles from Nashvill Southwest our pickets have been anoid by rebel cavelary one of our pickets shot at one the other night but did not hit him last night when I was out we went to a rebels gard and killed two goats it was good mutton as ever eat [line missing] and every thing that we can eat I am afraid if the war should last three years that we shall all hav to steal the boys all in prety well they all want you to write to them I have seen [ ? ] Curtis he is as fat as he can role he is a pictor of health william holister has been sick some but is better Sirus is well lont got a letter from home todayMarch the 3rd 1863 I will try and finish my letter I laid it by to go out on drill and while we was out the orders come to march we doubelquicked to camp and in an hour we had everything packed and started for Franklin we got there about 8 oclock that night we stoped at franklin on stone river it is a hilley rough country there is hardley a fence left except [ ? ] [line missing] I wish that you could travil throw throw the south to see the distruckson of war I got a letter from Elijah I will send it to you when you have red it pleas send it to Supremia give my respects to al inquiring friends pleas write soon send me some poststamps they are hard to get here except and excuse this from you efectionate Brother SO Halsted Direct Nashville Ten