The following letter was written by Jacob Frederick Mader, Jr. (1840-1922), the son of German emigrants J. F. Mader (1808-1888) and Johanna Sterr. Jacob was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, but came to Circleville when he was only 12 to learn the carriage painting trade. He then relocated to Zanesville where he partnered with brothers in the carriage making business.

In mid-February 1862, Jacob enlisted at Circleville in Co. H, 61st Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was mustered in as fourth duty sergeant. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 9 October 1862, and on 28 October 1863, he was transferred to Co. B which he commanded in the absence of its captain until 29 April 1864 when he was promoted to captain of the company and served as such until he was mustered out of service at Goldsboro North Carolina. He was slightly wounded at the second battle of Bull Run and also at Peach Tree Creek. He was engaged in the battles of Cedar Mountain, Freeman’s Ford, White Sulphur Springs, Waterloo Bridge, second Bull Run, Chancelorsville, Gettysburg, Hagerstown, Wauhatchie, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, Knoxville, those of his regiment were in the Atlanta campaign, March to the Sea, and the Campaign of the Carolinas.

On his way home, he stopped at Washington D.C. and was in Ford’s theater on the night of April 14, 1865 when President Lincoln was assassinated.

Though he addressed the letter to “Mary,” most likely Jacob wrote his letter to his future wife, Maria L. Hartmeyer of Circleville, Ohio.

Transcription

In trenches near Atlanta, Georgia
August 7th 1864

My Dear Mary,

I received yours of the 1st yesterday & was not a little surprised as well as pleased while perusing your letter which contained news of me of which I was entirely ignorant. Well! I think it is necessary for me to make an explanation & clear the matter up as best as I can, or my carefully studied love making for the last six years might accidentally or providentially meet with disaster, which might become irreparable so as forever to cut the cord that binds us and separate us for ever, of which I have but little desire.

In the first place, to clear up this matter you should have given the name of the lady to whom I have been accused of corresponding to. In the second place, you should have stated whether you seen the photograph or not & if it was mine, for as it is now, you only have the sensationist’s word for it & neither you or I are convinced that the photograph is mine. So as the thing now stands, I am not the guilty one & have no forgiveness to ask. But when it is proven that I have deceived, or tried to deceive you, then I will most sorrowfully ask your pardon.

I am very grateful for praising me so highly to my correspondent in Lebanon, Ohio, & will try at any future time to reciprocate in a like manner but I hope more & I know more deserving than I am of the compliment bestowed on me. You say that your confidence in me is shaken—that it had been laboring in a great mistake. Now I don’t think that you have as yet any reason to make such a remark. You have had no substantial evidence that I am corresponding with a lady in Lebanon, Ohio, & have sent her my photograph with the intention of making love to her. You say that you should like to hear from me soon again if it is consistent to the happiness of my lady love & correspondent in Lebanon, Ohio. As for that, I know she would not think any the less of me. So you can depend on hearing from me often without giving her any trouble whatever. I will now halt for the present and commence on some other subject.

I see by your last letter that you are not yet aware of the death of Paul but ere this reaches you I have no doubt that you will know all. We are shelled by the enemy & in return shell the enemy every day. They throw over sometimes sixty-four pounder shells about the size of a gallon jug thirteen inches long, six inches in diameter 18 inches in circumference. It has powder in them the grains of which is the size of a hazel nut. One of these shells exploded near the trenches of the 14th Corps killing & wounding fourteen men.

Hoping that this letter may find you in good health, I will bring it to a close by remaining truly, your every day, — Jake

Write soon & often.