Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/merrill-simeon-b/
Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
1st Division Hospital Near
Brandy Station March 23rd 1864
Dear Wife
I have nothing to
do so I though that I would
try this after noon and write
you a few lines to let you
know that I am about the same
as well hope that they may
find my little family the
same or doing well I am quite
anxious to hear from you for
I am troubled some nights in
my sleep and not onley in my
sleep but so that I cannot sleep
I am quite anxious to get back
to my Regiment for I think
that there must be a letter there
from you or some of the friends
I think that two or three of
us will be sent to the Regiment
Saturday or Sunday
I have written to Silas to
Mother and Mr Conrad so I think
that I shall hear from some
of you by the time that I
get back, yesterday was very cold
and windy with the wind in the
North East and the most of thought
that we would get snow and about
5 oclock it commenced and
snowed all night and this
morning the snow was three or
four inches deep and where it
drifted around the Hospital
tents it was eighteen or twenty
inches deep it is a nice sugar
snow but nothing to get the
sap from but dwarf Pine
I saw quite a curiosity this
afternoon I saw four span of
mules hitched to a sled with
twelve or fourteen men in it
they came past the Hospital
and there was a great many
men said that is was something
that they saw
before in Virginia before it thaws
a little this after noon where
there is not much wind but
it will take two days to take
it all off I tell you this Old
Virginia is a warm climate
but I think it must be in
July or August some of the
sickest have been sent to
Washington and more is to
be sent next week there has
not any died in the Hospital
lately Wm Roberts and Mr Canady
are here in the second ward
Hospital Roberts is quite smart
but Canady is rather hard up
it will be light nipping for
him to see Iosco again I think
I was in to see him just now
but he was out of his
head or light headed as you
are a mineto leeve it and I
did not say anything to him
Well Julia answer this as soon
as you can and let me know
how you are a getting along and
how little Fred is a getting
along and Mr Williams and Harriett
and all the rest of the friends
Well Julia I must close
Dont you think I had better
And I will write to you again
When I get from you a letter
From your affectionate husband
S. B. Merrill
Direct as before
now dont forget will you
Well Julia that last letter
that you wrote to me was
worth having the boys thought
that I had got a big letter
that time they all got one
from home the same night
but they was more in mine
than in the whole of the
others I wrote to Mr Conrad
the 15th of March and directed
it to Fowlerville for I did not
know but he got his mail
there when you see him or
Charles you can tell them
Well Julia I hope that this
may find you comfortable as
it leaves me at present this
from your husband
SB Merrill
[On Envelope:]
Mrs Julia Merrill
Fowlerville Livingston Co
Michigan
