The following letter was written by a soldier who signed his name “Han” (I think), which might have been short for Hanson or Hanley. He may have had a brother serving with him named “Si” which could be short for Simon or Josiah. In any event, there are too few clues in the letter to give us an clear path forward to their identity.

Transcription

Tennessee
May 18, 1862

Dear Father & Mother,

I received your letter today and was glad to hear from you again. I received two letters from you last week. Si[mon] and me writes from two to three [letters] a week and it is curious that our letters do not go through. I am a notion to put in haste on the envelope or in care of D. W. Goddard for I believe that someone by the same name takes them out of the [post] office, I do not know of any other cause and if you get a letter with these directions, you need not not be alarmed till you open it.

I have been having the ague for the past three days but I think that I have got over it now. So is Si and the rest of the boys with the exception of Chris and Eck & Jonah, but Jonah is getting better now, but Eck is bothered with piles very bad. Chris has been having the fever for the past three days but it is better now. Well, all of them, in fact.

The weather here is very beautiful. It is warm and pleasant and the fruit is so forward that it seems to me as though it was July. Strawberries are all gone most. Cherries are ripe and peaches are half grown. Wheat is in bloom and corn has been howed once and peas is big enough to eat but things grow so slow here. I never want to love here for I should get out of patience for it to grow. Corn that was planted the first day of April is not over three inches high but I do not know the reason why without it is because when the niggers go anywhere near it, a black cloud passes between that the sun. As for niggers, there is no end to them in camp. They keep coming and one is in the guard house for stealing 20 dollars off of one of Co. H boys and another old nigger of 61 years came into camp yesterday. His master was in the secesh army but is dead now. His overseer yesterday was a going to whip the slave because he did not quite suit him when the nigger told him that he had done nothing to be whipped for when the overseer drawed a double barrel pistol and fired and missed him. He fired again and put six small shot in his back and shoulder, then swore that he would kill him and started for the house about half a mile to get his rifle when the nigger started and came into camp. The cavalry was going out after him but I have not heard with what success as I have not been out of my tent but very little today. But I have seen enough of slavery and could have shot his overseer if I could have seen him.

Well, I must close for I have got to eat supper and then go on dress parade and then I will write some to Anna. So goodbye. From yours Baby, — Han