Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/phelps-george/
Regiment: 7th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp of the 7 Mich feb 1 1865
Dear wife inow sit done to rite
afew lines to you to let you
know that iam well at present
ireceived a letter from you this
morning and was sorry to ehar
that B was sick but hope ishal
get better news the next time
iget a letter but the letters are so
far apart ialmost forget one before
iget another ihave not had a letter
since a week ago last thursday
but iprize them highly when
they do come ihave been twise
on dress parade to day tharefore
cant rite but a short letter
but iwill rite again soon
igot a letter from Joseph Phelps
day before yesterday he and his
family ware all well he has
two sons in shermans
army John enlisted and
and William was drafted after
serveing three years in the
potomac army they ware
in savannah the last time
he herd from them thare
is aprtty fair prospect of peace
soon thare is but few here that
thinks they will have any more
fighting to do and idont think
we shal as much ihope not
any but the prospects of getting
home until icome for good is
played out although some of the
lucky ones gets a furlough
or them that can tell the
best lie for they have to have
sickness or death for an excuse
and some of them gets lettesr
from thair familys that never
saw any other woman than
thair own mother but if ican
get my discharge in six months
idont want a furlough for it will
cost me at least fifty dollars
to come home from here imust
stop riteing for it has so dark
that icant see the lines
feb the 2 iwill rite a few lines more
irote to you to send me some stamps
ihave not been payed of yet and
dont think ishal get payed before
the middle of march and idont thare
will be 176 dollars due me and some
clothing money due but iam oweing
some so ishal have over 100 dollars to send
home and ishall send it as soon as ican
and do it safely thare is no chance
to express money from whare iam
but ican do it by going to Citty
Point but iwill try to get it home
some way the first opportunity
give my best respects to all my
friends in wheatfield and tell
them to remember me pleas
rite as often as you can make it
convieneient this from your affectionate husband
George Phelps
febuary the 3 ihave had this letter
in the envelope once am yesterday
igot another letter from you and
ihad to build ahouse for the captain
icould not answer it until to day
so ithought i would open it and rite
in the same one and sare apostage
stamp for ihave but one left and ihave
borowed about a dozen already imust
tell you what luck ihad awashing
iwashed two flannel shirts after
dark last night and Chap one pain of
pants and we hung out doors while
we got out supper and when we
got our supper and went after
our clothes some boddy had relieved
us of them and it left me with
only one that ihad on and that was
again soon for we draw clothing
once every month but iam of the
opinion that someboddy will be missing
a shirt or two before long ihave not
got any pay yet but as long as you dont
suffer for it idont care much about it
myself if ican only get enough to keep
acorrespondence with you iwill give
up all the rest of my correspondents
willingly but here comes Chap with
the clothing so iam all right yet in the
shirt
[ ? ] but Chap haint got this
so no more at present from your
pants affectionate husband George Phelps
