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 Alfred Searles to E. G. Searles, September 2, 1861

Pike
Sept. 2, 1861

Dear Parents,

I sit down this morning to try to answer your letar which came to hand a few days since. We are all well at the presant time and hope that you are enjoyeng the same blessings.

But fur the next part, prepare fur the worst. I am a going to the wars. My compeny is now in camp at Defiance and I am a going with them, so if you or eny of my friends want to see me you must come withen 2 weeks. Father, I should like to have you come if possible, fur I want to leave my buisness with you. You may have my place for 3 years and all that you can make off of it. With $10 more expence it will be a comfortable house fur your fameley, but I want you to come wheather you have my place or not

My bleeding country calls fur my help and I must go. I have property to protect, I have friends, I have parents, I have brothers and sisters, and with all the rest I have a wife and two helpless children who never shall be ruled with a tyrants hand or tireny while they is a drop of blood that courses my veins. No, the god of nations and of wars tells me to go and not tary. How men can sit and not be aroused is more than I can tell. Is it possible that they are so blind as not to see that every man has got an interest in the thing, the poor as well as the rich. This is a war that no history has seene the like, but they is one that has told us of it. But the end is not yet, the times so heard that I do not know what poor people will do that depend upon their day laboreng for a liveng. They won't hire here, neather for money nor grain now and I what I could do if I tryed to stay here this winter I do not know.

We are all destitute of clothing and have't a weeks bread stufs in the house nor eny grcers and I do not know how to get them and if I go away my fameley will be supplyed withe the nessarys of life and I shall draw my rations for my self. They is plenty of grain in the countery, but they won't sell it for the prises.

Now if you and George is a coming up here a week or tow can't make much differance to you when you come and I should like to see you before I go. For it won't be over 3 weeks to the outsyde before we shall leave fur Missura. I may live to come back and I may not. The God of all can only tell, that is not for us to know.

But I must close for this time. Write imediateley and let me know wheather you are a coming or not and when. With best wishes and kind love I remain as ever, your son,
A.D. Searls, yours respectfuley
E.G. Searls

Address Winnameg Fulton, Co Ohio

The report here now is that they are a fighting in Washington, this telegraph that they have been at it since Saturday

 Addison Searles to E. G. Searles, [September 2, 1861]

New Westfield [Weston]
October 1, 1861
Wood Co, Ohio
[note on back of letter is written] - September 2nd 1861
21st Ohio Volunteers

Well dear Father,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at the present time and I hope that this few and poor lines will find you the same. I have bin out to Michigan this last month and when I left Alfords they was all well.

Now father, do not think not hard of me, for I have inlisted in the 21st regiment and am again to start for Finley tomorrow. Tell mother that I will come home agane and see you all agane and God will spare me if I am rite.

Tell my brothers and sisters all to remember me and to look to God for help to save my contry and to help the poor solgers in this glories cawes.

Bid them all good by and dear father do not forget to rite to me. When I get in camp tell my mother not to trobile about me for there is a hand that will lead me safe home agane, so good by forever, have hope for me from your beloved son, Add,
Addison Searls to his father E.G. Searls,
my love to all farwell - farwell to all.

 Addison Searles to E. G. Searles, September 25, 1861

[Camp Vance, Findlay, Ohio]
Sept 25, 1861

Well Father,

I will try to rite to you and let you know that I am well and I hope that this few and poor lines will find you the same.

We expect to leave here today for Camp Talor [?] We have got our uniforms and have plenty to eat. The worst is the posteg on our leters I answerd that morning.

With my lot til this thing is seteld I think that we shall be home in the spring. As for my things they are in good care. We shall look to God for help. I cannot rite for there is no place and there is such a Noise here that I can not rite so good.

By for the present.

From Addison Searls to E G Searls

 Alfred and Addison Searles to E. G. Searles, September 28, 1861

September 28, 1861
Camp Dennison

Well Father,

I take this opportunity to rite afew lines to you to let you know that war well at present and I hope that these few and poor lines will find you the same.

We left Camp Vance on Thursday last and arived at this place on Friday morning about 4 o'clock. How long we shall stay here I do not know. There has been 3 ridgments has got here within 24 ores. Please rite to us often, for we would like to here from you all. Please ask all of them to rite to me.

I have not much to rite about and there is so much nois that it wants [?] to rite.

Yours with respect
E.G. Searls from your son Addison Searls

September 29, 1861

Dear parents, brothers and sisters,

Once more I am permitted to write a few lines to you to let you know where we be. We are well and hop that you are all the same. They is a large amount of men here on this camp ground. I believe they is 7 or 8 1000 men here now; they is cavelry, artilery and infantry. We drew our guns yesterday. We have to drill 8 hours a day. We know nothing about when we shall start from here. We expect to leave here in a day or two. The rebbels are within 14 miles of Cincinnaty; we are 16 miles north of the city. We have 2 baterys in this camp.

Well, I cannot write today. I will write again this week for I cannot write, but I will write from day to day, and that will give information in general. When you write I wish you would [send] us a litle money fur to buy the nessarys of life till we can get our wages.

Write often and tell the rest of them to writ. We do not get much time to writ and we have to write quick and we can't cary ink, so I will close. With best wishes and kind love to all, I remain as ever, your son,
Alfred D. Searls,
Camp Dennison, Ohio
21st rigt. to care of Capt Caton

 Mary Searles to E. G. Searles, September 29, 1861

[Pike Township, Fulton County, Ohio]
September 29, 1861

Respected parents.

After a long silence I sit down to address a few lines to you. I have not felt much like writing, nor do not now, but I want to hear from you. I expect you have had a letter from Alfred. I have had two. Oh how hard it was to let him go and how uneasy I feel not knowing one minit from another if I have a husband or my children a father. Eva takes it to heart a good deal and would more if she had not the company she has. I am living close by fathers, which is about all the consolation I have. I thank you for your kind invatition. I should very much like to see you but I do not feel as though I ought to leave so long. I have my cow and two sows and 10 pigs and dog and chickens to take care of. The rest we have put out, but Alfred wanted me to keep them for him and I intend to do so. If it was not for the expense, I would very much like to come and stay two or three weeks, but we need all we can get, for we are nearly all barefooted and very short of clothes. We have not had a cent yet.

The comishener for this township has not been here yet. I have been looking for him every day. He promised to be here the same week as Alfred went away. If he don't come soon I don't know what we shal do. Our folks are very good to me.

Eva says give her love to grandpa and grandma. She says she is real dissapointed that grandpa won't come and see us. She says tell grandma she is very much obliged for them paper. She thinks they are real nice. She has had some of the storyes read to her till she can repeat them.

Give my love to all who may inquire after me. Tell them to write to me. You must excuse a short letter this time. I will try and do better next.
From Mary Searls to E G and Mary Searls
Eva and Rosi's well, give mine and Eva's love to the children
Direct to Emery Post Office, Fulton County, Ohio

Please to write soon

MS 597: Stanton/Searles Family - Introduction | Transcript List
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