The following letter was written by Thomas A. Sanders (1840-1910), the son of Thomas Sanders and Ellen Leonard (1818-Aft1850) of Clermont county, Ohio. It’s probable that one or both of Thomas’s parents were deceased before the Census of 1860.

Thomas wrote the letter while serving in Co. C, 12th Ohio Volunteers Infantry (OVI. He enlisted in the 12th OVI on 22 April 1861 when it was a 3-month’s regiment and then reenlisted as a private in the same company for three years and was discharged at Fayetteville, West Virginia on 31 December 1863 as a 1st Sergeant. In July 1864 he reenlisted as a 1st Sergeant in Co. C of the 23rd OVI.

Thomas’s letter informs us that the regiment spent the 4th of July quietly, without celebration, at Flat Top, Virginia (now W. Va.) in the Kanawha Valley where they were attached to the 1st Brigade, Dept. of the Mountains. They had seen combat in the Battle of Carnifex Ferry in the fall of 1861 but they would not see serious action again until the Maryland Campaign a year later at South Mountain and the Otto Farm at Antietam.

Thomas wrote the letter to his comrade John McNair of the 12th OVI who was at his home in Nicholasville, Ohio, apparently recuperating from a severe illness. John was discharged for disability on 9 February 1863. He later served in the 53rd Ohio Vol. Infantry (National Guard) in July 1863 for 100 days. The main theme of the letter is to communicate an order by the War Department directing all sick men at home to report to the Medical Director of the nearest military hospital.

Transcription

Flat Top, Va.
Sunday, July 6th 1862

Friend John,

The fourth of July—always sacred to Americans—has passed away at this place without any demonstration worthy to be recorded in memory’s book. Everything was quiet except at the other Brigade. About noon the fired twenty-six rounds. There is no news of importance to communicate to you. We have heard that McClellan has been fighting for six days and we are impatiently awaiting to hear the result.

I suppose that you have had fine times at home on the fourth. I should have liked to of been with you very much. I have to communicate news to you that will not I suppose be very pleasant to you. By a late order issued at the War Department, all men at home on sick or furlough if near enough to any city where there is a government hospital is required to report themselves there to the Medical Director. If they are not well enough to be sent on to their respective regiments, they will have to remain at the hospital there until they are well. This law is imperative and anyone who does not comply with it will be reported as a deserter and will be sent after. Therefore you will if not well enough to come on here have to report yourself at Cincinnati to the Medical Director.

The order is published I believe in all county papers but I have thought it best to give you notice by letter for fear you would not see it in the papers. I know it will not be very pleasant for you to leave home and go to any hospital, but it will be better for you to do so. I hope that you are much better by this time. I should like to hear from you often if it will be convenient for you. The boys all join me in love to you. Please write soon.

Yours, — T. A. Sanders