Center for Archival Collections

Camp near Nashville, Tenn.
Nov. 22, 1862

Dear Wife:

It is with the greatest pleasure that I take this opportunity of informing you that I am in good health and spirits and hope these few lines may find you the same. I rec'd. your letter of 0ct. yesterday evening which gave me much to learn that you were well and that you enjoyed yourself so much better since you live alone. I waited a long time, but it came at last. I wrote to you about the boys being in a fight at Lexington and were taken prisoners, all except Henry and Corp. Riley of our mess, while the Rebs. were parching our men them two hid themselves and went out when the other boys went and went along to Louisville and from there they cams back to the regiment. Corporal Riley carried Co. I's flag and when he found that he had to surrender he tore it off of the flagstaff and stuck it in his bosom and we have it again. The boys that were paroled went to Columbus, and the report is that they are to go west and fight the Indians. We are still following up the rebels and whipping them every time that they stand to fight. But we are kept in the rear so that it is not likely that we will get in to another battle very soon, perhaps never.

I had a letter from father yesterday and he was well and he had just got back from Indiana and he said that he found all the friends well. He also wrote that Catherine had two letters from Ezra, that he was well and Camp life agreed with him. He said that he weighs 200 lbs which is heavier than I am but father did net write what Regiment or I would write to him. He also told me that Samuel had enlisted and was in Louisville, but did not say what regiment he was in or perhaps I might have a chance to see him. I think I wrote to you that I saw Robert Tiplathy. He is in the 111 Reg. 0.V.I. I also seen Fred Spiegle the son of that old lady that worked for our folks. We saw her when we were there. He is in the 14th O.V.I. Father wrote that Anthony's folks were sick and had very disagreeable family quarrels.

You wanted to know whether your likeness looked natural. I think it does and I was spoiling it and so I bought a case for 25 cts. and as soon as I can have mine taken I will send it to you. They say that we are going to get our pay here and if they pay us for eight months, there will be $104 due us and I think I will send you $100, that is, if I do not keep any to come home with. But they do not give any furloughs now so I think it will be doubtful whether I get home this fall but I think this war will not last much longer so that I can come home to stay. It was a year yesterday the 20 Nov. that I enlisted. You wanted to know whether I knew about Randolph getting wounded. I heard that long ago. You say that you are saving with the money. I believe it but I would rather you would not be so saving of your money and save your health more. That is, when you have potatoes to dig or to bury, rather hire it done than blister your hands or get the side ache. We have had a few rainy days but it is quite pleasant again only the nights are cold and frosty. I am glad to learn that you have got a nice hog and meat enough but think if our Co. was to board with you two days there would not be much of it left. You mentioned about Met going to live with the old folks. I think they will have a good time of it. You cannot think how glad I feel to think that you enjoy yourself so much better since you live alone, although I know it must be lonesome but I would rather be all alone than to live disagreeable with anybody. You want to know how we get along these rainy nights. We get along very well. We were about three months without tents till about a week ago. We got a tent but we have not got our overcoats yet, but we got new blankets instead of the old ones that we turned in over at Tuscumbia, Ala. I have not much to write so I must come to a close in hopes of soon hearing from you. No more at present but remain as ever your true and beloved husband

George Kryder

To E. S. Kryder and all inquiring friends
Write soon and direct to Nashville,Tenn.

Camp near Nashville, Tenn.
Nov. 24, 1862

Dear Wife

I am again seated pencil a few lines to you in answer to yours of the 16th which I rec'd. yesterday and was glad to learn that you were all well but sorry to learn the sad misfortune Salome had in breaking her arm in her present situation. I was very glad to learn the number of the regiment that Samuel was in but I have not yet seen him. But if I should get to see the regiment after this, I will look and inquire for him.

Father wrote to me that Catherine has had two letters from Ezra stating that he was well and that camp life agreed well with him, that he weighs 200 lbs., but did not say what regiment he was in or where he was. Henry is well and hardy and I told him that you wanted to hear from him and he said that I could write for him. He got a letter from George yesterday evening. He said that he was well and as hardy as a buck. He was in the Kanawha Valley Western Va. Yesterday we went out on General Inspection and passed in review and it was the nicest Cavalry performance that I ever saw. Col. Zahm now commands a brigade of Cavalry consisting of four Regiments and one section of artillery (a section are two cannon) and Col. Kenneth of the 4th Ohio commands a Cavalry Division.

We have very fine weather now, only a little cold nights. I have not much more to write this time, but I would like to see the little girls, especially Lillie. I could give her some very nice playthings. They are ossified clam shells. They are stones that look like clam shells and stones that look like corn cobs, only not so large, and many other things that they would like but I have no chance to carry them along. Lillie, you must be a little lady and be good and mind what Ma says, and be good to little Mary for I am coming home by and by. Then I would not like to see you naughty. I hardly know where to direct this letter so that you will get it quick, for you said that you was going to stay with Salome till she could do her work but I think I will send it Greenfield. No more at present but remain as ever your true and affectionate husband

George Kryder

To E. S. K. and all inquiring friends.
Write soon and tell me the place where my letters were written and then I will know whether you get all my letters. Direct to Nashville, Tenn.
Please send me some stamps as I put the last one on this letter
Good bye

Nashville
Dec 17th 1862

Dear wife

It's with pleasure that I take this opportunity of writing a few lines to you in answer to tours of the 8th which I rec'd in due time and also the one of the 11th which came from there in four days, and I was glad to learn that father was well but it is quite a mystery to me what he is going East for but suppose he knows the reason that I did not answer your letter sooner was that we had to go out on picket the next day after I got it. That was on Sunday and on Monday I started to see whether I could find Samuel. I heard that he was in Gen. Van Cleave's Division but when I inquired at his (Van Cleaves) head quarters they told me that the 74th was not in that division and so I came back without finding him. And yesterday I was on guard, so I thought I would write today but [illegible] me to write this time. But that rebel came up to some of our pickets with a flag of truce and then they had force enough so that they went around our pickets and took them prisoners. They were 2 companies of a Michigan Reg. and today our Co. with three other Cos. are on guard again and I would belong along but I was on guard last night. We have very nice weather this fall but we must expect stormy weather before long. I have not been quite so well since I wrote to you as I had a few shakes of the ague and pain in my bones but I am pretty well again. We got new overcoats about a week ago which came quite good these cold nights to stand guard in.

It is just about like Marietta going away and leaving her house. You wanted to know whether I got that letter that Salome wrote in. I did and think I wrote to her. At present I have not much that would interest her but when you see her you can tell her that I am well and tell her to keep in good spirits. I would like it if I could be at home a while to get up some winter wood and get some fodder for the cow and do some other work that you have to do but that is impossible. I am glad that Edwin is a good boy and I hope that he always will be. I suppose Lillie can do almost anything, can't she, and is little Mary as pleasant as she used to be? Keep the children in good humor as much as possible for if I ever come home which I expect to do some time, I would like to find pleasant and smiling children, and above all a smiling wife. I think I can see you smile now with that pleasant countenance. Do not get downcast or broken hearted for I do not think that our happy days are all spent yet. If I should ever have the good luck to get back, which time I hope is not far distant. They are now fighting in Virginia and I think before long the rebel Capital (Richmond) will be in our hands and that will make quite a difference and when the rivers raise so that our gun boats can run up certain towns, we will make them get up and skedaddle. But the report is that if the army of the Potomac goes into winter quarters, 30,000 of the rebels are coming here to help take Nashville, but they will have a good time, I think, for they will meet General Rosecrans all ready for fight and they will go away with less men than they came with for we have a few gun boats here. I would like to get my likeness taken to send to you if I could and perhaps I can get to town. I bought a pair of gloves for $l.25 but they are not very good. But everything is so dear I would like to buy a rubber blanket but they cost too much. I could not get one for less than 4 dollars and that is all the money I have and I must have a pair of suspenders before long and I cannot get them for less than $l.00. I think I will not answer fathers letter at present for I expect he will come and see you. I have given you most all the news that I can think of so I must bring this letter to a close in hopes of hearing from you soon. I most forgot. We got our pay a week ago Sunday and sent you $75.00 by Lyman Benham who was here about a week. He came with Carly. I got them stamps you sent. No more at present but remain your true and devoted husband until death

George Kryder

to E. S. Kryder and Lillie G. Kryder and Mary E. Kryder and all inquiring friends direct to Nashville, Tenn.