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September 2, 1863

Long Island
Boston Harbor Mass
Sept 2nd 1863

I felt pretty nice about the time I was writing the first part of this letter but the recrept of your of the 27 rather changed my time

Miss Jennie?

I received yours of Aug 25th last eve, I was glad to here from you for I was somewhat lonesome it had been raining all day every one was lying in his tent consequently every thing was dull nothing going on to interest any one That is just what makes camp life lonely? Lady society on this island is as scarce as her teeth, I would much rather be in Ky among the Rebels They are much friendlier there that here among the pretended loyal people----Jennie you think since I have got so far away I have forgotten home and Jennie? Not so I never thought so much about home and you since I left home as I have since I came on to this cursed Isle of Poverty I have written home once a week and sometimes two a week to you, now if that is not often enough I will write you some of you every day but I guess when you read 3 or 4 of the last letters I wrote you wont want me to write so often I think that poetry on the back of that envelope is nice, very nice indeed! But that poetry you sent in yours of Aug 9 beats me "Where you strive to forget, but Oh! You cannot." Jennie I did not think you would strive to forget one but perhaps you have your reasons but I care not for that so long as my spirit haunts you. Dont you remember I used to tell you I would haunt you if you e'er undertook to forsake me? I used to tell the truth part of the time! I was glad to hear that J.C. who was so lucky to get home but you said Dillworth was coming home and there was going to be a wedding did'nt say who was going to marry I judged it was you, if so "Joy and peace go with you." and may God bless you with a _____ Making rather light of your wedding but you know I am a considerable of a boy for jesting? Well it is so but I cant help it! I think you done just right by staying home from that Union meeting and writing to me thank you very much. You say Crist Shortly is home, I would like to see him very much but I would like to see his sisters in law Julia a great deal mucher I was always fond of looking at any think fancy so I suppose it would have done a great deal of good to at Mr Cline and his lady____ There is one women that is pretty good looking on the Island but she is Irish also married - My bunk mate is setting here cleaning his gun said send you his best respects that he would write but he had his gun to clean for dress parade he is a Corp in the 11th Map Reg. his name Levi D. Bullock Jennie I am done jesting I just received a letter from you dated Aug 27 that rather created a change in my feelings I rather rejoiced over receiving another letter from Jennie till I read it I don't feel further so nice I feel as though I had lost the last friend I had in the world to think you would write as you did Jennie I am not mad neither do I feel in very good humor -- but I am going to write you my sentiments to just as I feel and just as I think---I am not going to answer the first part of your letter as I done feel like it---you say I have been wrongly informed or I have surmised something! Miss Jennie I am not after to surmise things of that kind I am not that jealous hearted yet, I am not after to surmise things to make me feel as that did although you accuse me of it Jennie I have loved you as I love my life and I do yet but such a letter as yours of Aug 27 is enough to bluff the deepest lover, Such accusations I never felt worse in my life than when I read that, The more I read the worse I felt you say Dan Orsen did'nt sit beside you I would'nt care if he sat in you lap or you in his or any where else I don't for ______ say anything

September 6, 1863

Long Island
Boston Harbor, Mass
Sept 6, 1863

Dearest _______?

I recieved yours of Aug 30th last evening I expected to get a good scolding after writing you as I did Aug 25th but you took it pretty cool

Jennie I am not very ready to believe such stories, but it has been so long since I had recieved a letter from you that I scarcely knew what to believe or disbelieve And you know I would believe you sooner that I would myself even of I thought you was telling an untruth which I know you would'nt be guilty of under any circumstances, But I could'nt Think of such a thing as playing myself out at father Bysel's?

You was rather independent about what I wrote Sallie --- Thought it was hardly right to pardon me for writing to her as I did --- I wrote it and gave you my reasons for writing as I did as well as Sallie I told her why I wrote to her --- how you can use your own pleasure as to pardoning me, for I am sure I hav'nt the power to make you do it, but merely to request it Use you own opinion I have nothing more to say

You ask if I ever knew you to entertain Company that was'nt Respectable? I am going to be like the Yankee and answer that question by asking one --- Did'nt you never entertain me? Also Ellen Woodruff? A lady that will entertain me --- who wont she entertain? But throwing all jokes aside, I would much rather be with you to day to talk about these things that be where I am, in the 3rd story of a large Hotel writing to you ---- You may wonder how I got in to the Hotel to write? so I will tell you Lt. Curtis sent for me to come down to his room to day to make out pay rolls for This Detachment of the 118th Regt. I brought my paper along thought I would answer Jennie better while I had a table to write on --- Pious notion was'nt it? If Ham is gadding around the neighborhood as you say, call it jealousy or what you may, sister or no sister --- if I was in Anderson's place she might go to Hoosick before I would marry her --- I would'nt marry a girl that had been running with every think that came along in my absence. Although she is not so much to blame as she would be had she a brother to go with her but it is no harder for her to wait that it is for Anderson for I have heard him say he would give every thing he has got in this world if he had never came to the Army of if he could get out of it

Poor fellow I sometimes feel sorry for him when he gets homesick and give almost any thing had I never persuaded him to go to war --- you ask why I tell George to keep out of the Army he had been in twice and knows what it is as well as I can tell him my advise is keep him out of it if you can I never have said a private soldier but says if his time was out they might go to h___l with their war love money would'nt hire him to reenlist I will just remember [?] your fellow's name is David rather than Daniel as you requested? I did'nt recieve that news by telegraph came to fast by letter to [?] me --- I heard from the Regt. Yesterday They were near Lebanan Ky how I wish I was with them rather than on this cursed island it is almost cold enough here at night to freeze ice such very cold winds come off the sea alothough it is a verry healthy place The boys are all well but somewhat dissatisfied I wrote to Col Young yesterday told him we would like to be ordered to our Regt dont know what he will think of it hope he will have us sent back I saw a man yesterday that used to belong to our Regt was Col Mott's orderly he deserted went to Maine then came here as a substitute [?]eral off our boys knew him and they have now got him in the guardhouse awaiting a trial he will be apt to behave --- So much for deserting them going as a substitute if [?]an gets out of the army better stay out ---

September 24, 1863

Sept 24, 1863
Boston Harbor Long Island Mass

Twenty two years old to day

Dearest Jennie?

Yours of Sept 17 was Recieved this morning it have been over three weeks since I had recieved a letter from you but I assure it was a welcome visitor when it did come I recieved a letter from Sallie last week I answered Sunday I wrote a few time to you Monday I dont know whether you can read it or not wrote it with a bad pencil was in somewhat of a hurry o it may be a little difficult to read but if your school is out you wont have any thing to do but study it out, good exorcise --- keep you out of mischief wont have so much time to go to parties perhaps you can get Mr Oren to help you he is a schoolteacher and a church member if he cant read it sent to Philadelphia for a lawyer for indeed I could'nt read it myself after it was cold but just so I recieved an answer I care not how you get it read Yours of Sept 17 was so long and so good I hardly know how to commence answering it I think from the reading of it you don't have much to do up in Ohio but attend parties and speeches growing[?] quite patriotic I would have liked very much to attend J.C. Mattias's party perhaps J.C. had some object in veiew for not paying any attention to Angie --- I do wonder if Mollie A___ and Smith ever intend to marry ? I'll bet if Ira had been there Jennie would'nt went home alone from that wake _________ You say I dont appear to remember which of them boys David or Dan belongs to church Jennie I would'nt care if they both belong to church that does'nt make me any better or I doubt them either

Jennie you wanted to know whose fault it was that we have a quarrel every little while! I will tell you just how they are occasioned then you can judge whose fault it is --- for some cause or other cant tell why there is times that I dont hear from you for 3 and four weeks if I aks you why it is you accuse me of jeallousy and a great many other things that I sometimes think you have no right to (although I may be wrongs) then of course I have to answer! and I admit that I answer sometimes rather roughly rougher that I should for I ought to let you say and do just what you please and me say nothing so I guess upon the whole of it is my fault at any rate it does'nt make any difference it is all over now and let that be the last I think we could both be truer to each other than we have been at least I know I could as for you I know nothing but hearsay and that you know a person is not supposed to believe believe one half you see and nothing you hear I rejoice to hear you say I need not look for any more saucy letters I assure you if you write more you will recieve none You hope Anderson dont take Ham's gadding around quite so much to hear as I do Jennie I care not how much you go or where you go or whose company you keep I have made up my mind not to say a word against it you know what I think ot is now so as you please but if you will go dont forget that you have a friend in the army that wants to hear from you as often as practicable --- You think if Anderson would give Ham up for such a small think as that he never loved her well enough to marry her I think you was whipping me over Anderson shoulder then was'nt you Jennie? but I can stand it bear almost anything --- I am glad you think Ham is going to be true to Anderson it is time fore her to be true to someone you think I am just like her I dont think I am you never heard of me promising and then backing out if you did you know more than I do I was always a great hand to be in company but alway knew how far to go if I had'nt I dont know where I would have been by this time I would have went to the army at the commencement of it and [?] or somewhere else if I have improved every opportunity in the last two years that I was home dont you believe it Jennie

October 11, 1863

Oct 11, 1863
Long Island
Boston Harbor, Mass

Dearest Jennie?

I recieved yours of Sept 27 I am sorry I cant get your letters I would recieved your last sooner but have been away with load of Sub's just returned yesterday took 300 to Portsmouth Virginia 700 to Alexandria had a very nice time went by water and returned by water but I guess that was my last trip we are to be sent to our Regt this week or next certain if we come though Ohio we are going to try to get home 3 or 4 days as we return dont know whether we can or not I am well and getting along finely we have some very hard times here but not as hard I fear as we will have when we get with our Regt. but little do I fear for hard times if I can get with my boys in place of this cursed island well Jennie you say you know how I feel when I don't get your letters if you know hoe I feel, I feel assures you will write to me as after as you can make it practicable I am glad to hear you say you will never tell me to stop writing for that is my only comfort you said you was going to write to me again that week it had not come through yet but I trust it may before we leave the island you need not write to me again till you hear from me again for I dont know where to tell you to write I recieved a letter from Sallie the day I started with a load of Sub's will answer if to day you must not look for much of a letter from me this time as I have'nt much to wrote If I return to the Regt. I will get to see the boys of the 65 Regt and 21st now dont be to certain about me coming home a few days as we pass through for I dont know whether I shall or not but I will try and that is all any one can do Sallie says Oscar has a discharge but he is not as lively as usual perhaps he is lonesome I know I would be if taken away from the boys we have some very good times along with some very hard times but I will try to get through two years more --- I guess I will stop writing for the present and write to Sallie

Yours Ira B. Connie

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