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Regiment: 3rd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Lawrence October 18
th 1861
Aunt Sophia
I have just recd your welcome letter an hasten to answer it. You say it was my
turn to write. Perhaps it was but I labored under the impression that it was not. But that
makes no difference. Concerning that picture you scolding was all in vain as I had one
taken and should have sent it in a few days. So you see my promise was not broken. I
am home on a five days furlough. Will be in camp on the twenty second of this month,
where for the present you may direct your letters. The address is Camp Anderson Grand
Rapids Mich care of capt G. J. Hudson of the Van Buren county Ligers. There are two
regiments encamped on the ground the 2
nd and 3
rd Mich Cavalry. We are in the 3
rd and
don’t know when we shall leave. The 2
nd will probably go from here next week. We
have not got our arms or uniforms yet. There is or will be twelve hundred men in each
regiment. I have the honor of holding the office sergeant in the company to which I
belong. I wrote to Ashere a few days since and you may have seen the letter before this.
We have received a letter from him one from Uncle Oran directed to Livi and took the
liberty to open them and read them and as he has gone home he will hear all the news
without reading letters. We will not take the trouble to remail them. Asher says he
would enlist if he had no one to look out for but himself. Now that is not a valid excuse
as I know by experience and I don’t want him to plead that as a reason for not embarking
in this war for the Union. How can a man better look out for the interests of his family
than to use his utmost endeavors to provide for them a free and just government. All
have some excuse for not going to war which they consider good but still some must go.
Let them go or stay as they see fit for one I felt it my duty to go and had I a dozen lives I
would place them all at the service of my country. We are all well as usual.
Write soon
Your Nephew
O. M. Rowland
