Charles Sealy to his sister Mary Ann (Mate) Sealy Woodward on March 22, 1862 while in the field camped at Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Title
Charles Sealy to his sister Mary Ann (Mate) Sealy Woodward on March 22, 1862 while in the field camped at Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Creator
Charles Sealy
Date
March 22, 1862
Rights
Midway Village Museum
Format
jpeg
pdf
Type
Text
Identifier
2013.70.11a
Text
Camp at Cape Girardau [sic]
May 22 1862
Dear Sister
Excuse me for not writing before but I have not had time; the last letter I believe was [written] I wrote at Springfield; we laid at springfield 7 days and then we were on the road for 21 days before we reached the regiment on the road we got short of rations once or twice on the road so that we had to shoot a hog or two for meat but that did not last long we passed [sic] through salem, & West Planes we traveled some [300] miles to ketch [sic] the regiment and have traveled 200 miles since and only had about 3 days rest & over took the regiment at Batesville Aks. the next day after I reached Batesville we were ordered to Little Rock Aks and traveled 7 miles and then ordered back to Cape [Girardaeu] we were on the road 40 days avarging [sic] 20 miles a day in the 20 days we passed through several [seceed] towns on our way to the Cape and our [Leuit.] Col. who had the command of the regiment if we saw any thing in the towns that we passed through to take it but there were no [jayhawking] done as they saw nothing that they [wanted] the boys are complaining about the rations that they
Page 2
drawed after the battle of [pea ridge] but I have had rations enough until to-day then we drew shorts instead of flour but that will not last long tonight we will draw either flour or crackers we shall soon be on our way down the river as we expect to go down in a day or two on the 5th of the month at Greenville of this state we saw a number of nigro girles [sic] in the field plowing corn if Slavery has come to that I say farewell to Slavery I hope that this war will emancipate every Slave that is in the U.S. there is one thing certin [sic] that is if the 44th goes down the river the Secesh will be shure [sic] to be whipt [sic] because the 44th will come out victorious so I hope that I may come across the 45th there some where down the river you accused me wrongfully when you accused me of not writing to Mr. Daugherty when I sent him the money I owed him as I sent the money by express and a letter by mail on the 11th of April both on the same day so if the letter was detained it was not my my [sic] fault if you will ask Mr. Daugherty the date of my letter he will tell you same I knew as soon as I opened his letter that my letter been delayed but I suppose it is all write [sic] now you thought that I should not get off very strait [sic] with my [doing] my duty at Rolla never fear for me when I am on duty, there was no more notice taken of us
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when they found out the circumstances of the case than though it had never happened [sic] you must excuse me if I do not write once a week as I may not be able to write as often but if I can write once a week if I can the next letter I write I must write to [Geneva] I have written all I can think of no [sic] so good bye for the present direct to the 44th Reg. Ill. Vol. St. Louis in the field so good bye for the present
From your Affectionate
Brother,
Chas. Sealy
44th Reg. Ill. Vol
In the Field St. Louis
May 22 1862
Dear Sister
Excuse me for not writing before but I have not had time; the last letter I believe was [written] I wrote at Springfield; we laid at springfield 7 days and then we were on the road for 21 days before we reached the regiment on the road we got short of rations once or twice on the road so that we had to shoot a hog or two for meat but that did not last long we passed [sic] through salem, & West Planes we traveled some [300] miles to ketch [sic] the regiment and have traveled 200 miles since and only had about 3 days rest & over took the regiment at Batesville Aks. the next day after I reached Batesville we were ordered to Little Rock Aks and traveled 7 miles and then ordered back to Cape [Girardaeu] we were on the road 40 days avarging [sic] 20 miles a day in the 20 days we passed through several [seceed] towns on our way to the Cape and our [Leuit.] Col. who had the command of the regiment if we saw any thing in the towns that we passed through to take it but there were no [jayhawking] done as they saw nothing that they [wanted] the boys are complaining about the rations that they
Page 2
drawed after the battle of [pea ridge] but I have had rations enough until to-day then we drew shorts instead of flour but that will not last long tonight we will draw either flour or crackers we shall soon be on our way down the river as we expect to go down in a day or two on the 5th of the month at Greenville of this state we saw a number of nigro girles [sic] in the field plowing corn if Slavery has come to that I say farewell to Slavery I hope that this war will emancipate every Slave that is in the U.S. there is one thing certin [sic] that is if the 44th goes down the river the Secesh will be shure [sic] to be whipt [sic] because the 44th will come out victorious so I hope that I may come across the 45th there some where down the river you accused me wrongfully when you accused me of not writing to Mr. Daugherty when I sent him the money I owed him as I sent the money by express and a letter by mail on the 11th of April both on the same day so if the letter was detained it was not my my [sic] fault if you will ask Mr. Daugherty the date of my letter he will tell you same I knew as soon as I opened his letter that my letter been delayed but I suppose it is all write [sic] now you thought that I should not get off very strait [sic] with my [doing] my duty at Rolla never fear for me when I am on duty, there was no more notice taken of us
Page 3
when they found out the circumstances of the case than though it had never happened [sic] you must excuse me if I do not write once a week as I may not be able to write as often but if I can write once a week if I can the next letter I write I must write to [Geneva] I have written all I can think of no [sic] so good bye for the present direct to the 44th Reg. Ill. Vol. St. Louis in the field so good bye for the present
From your Affectionate
Brother,
Chas. Sealy
44th Reg. Ill. Vol
In the Field St. Louis
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Charles Sealy, “Charles Sealy to his sister Mary Ann (Mate) Sealy Woodward on March 22, 1862 while in the field camped at Cape Girardeau, Missouri,” Midway Village Museum - Digital Collections, accessed April 20, 2024, https://midwayvillagemuseumdigitalcollections.omeka.net/items/show/119.