Unfortunately the Union soldier who wrote this letter did not sign his name and though he was addressed it to his brother, he did not give his brother’s name either. The only relative mention was “Aunt Jane Kihler” but I’m uncertain of that surname. I did find a woman named Jane Kihler living in Wayne, Kosciusko county, Indiana, the widow of Levi Kehler (1821-1857). It seems her maiden name was Jane Pittenger (1825-1921). She married a second time in November 1863 to Robert Chinworth (1810-1879). One of the regiments in McCook’s army at Camp Nevin was the 30th Indiana which was raised in Kosciusko county, Indiana

The letter was datelined from Camp Nevin which was located some ten miles south of Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Camp Nevin was the advance position of the Union army in November 1861 where US General Alexander McCook had his headquarters. His army, the 2nd Division, Army of the Ohio, consisted of numerous regiments, including several from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana—including the 30th Indiana.

The image below was drawn at Camp Neven where meting out discipline was common place.

Transcription

Union or Death!
Camp Nevin [Kentucky]
November 25, 1861

Dear Brother,

It is with pleasure I seat myself to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am sitting in my tent trying to write with my overcoat on and am so cold I can hardly write (which you can see). It is pretty cold today and has been for a few days, The ground is frozen hard this morning. Yesterday it snowed and blowed all day.

The company stood picket yesterday but I got to stay in and was very glad of it too. They have all come in all right. Received your letter yesterday. Also one from Aunt Jane Kihler [?] which I must answer today. I was glad to hear from you. I expect you have looked for a letter from me but I have neglected it too much. I will try and write one [ ] as [ ] if I can.

I can’t tell when we will leave here. I think ere long though I can’t [tell] where we will land, but you will hear it. Don’t make any difference. You can write just as well. It will come anyhow. The Regimental Guards have been taken off. We get some rest. Yesterday you might have seen soldiers walking round in army with a rail on their back for not being here at roll call. It was a good sight but a [ ] to those that carried the rail. One man refused and was pulled out his tent, throwed down, and tied. So you see we must come to toe.

I am harty as a buck. I guess you can read this. Write soon.