This letter is was written by James Franklin (1840-1874), the son of Burton P. Franklin (1811-1861) and Rachel K. Bushnell (1810-1886) of Rockford, Floyd county, Iowa. James and his younger brother, Charles R. Franklin (1843-1888) enlisted together in the 9th Iowa Regiment which became the “Dubuque Battery” (later designated the 3rd Iowa Light Artillery) in late August 1861.  The Battery suffered 3 enlisted men who were killed in action or who died of their wounds and 34 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 37 fatalities. Both James and his brother survived the war and mustered out with the regiment on 23 October 1865.

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Quarters Dubuque Battery
Pacific City, Mo.
November 30, 1861

Dear Mother,

We received your letter of November 22d and was glad to hear from you. I had been waiting a long time to hear from you. I wrote three or four letters before I got one from you. Charlie got the papers you sent to him. We were glad to see the Rockford papers once more.

The boys are about as well as usual except George [T.] Fleenor. He has been in the hospital for about a week. He has been very sick and is now but he is some better. Delos Gifford is out of the hospital and is with us. I have been sick for a day or two but am now about well. I try and take care of myself as well as I can and try and keep as clear of the Regimental Surgeon. Lyon is having a lots of biles [boils] on him.

Charley [J.] Pixley was taken sick about a week before he died. He had the typhoid fever. He was out of his head considerable of the time. I was not permitted to go and see him while he was sick. We had to get a pass from the Captain. If he felt well, he would grant it but if he was made, he would curse at you and tell you to go and mind your business. If you chanced to get a pass from the Captain, then you have to go to the Adjutant General and get a new one if you could. Charlie was sensible when he died. He was buried in his uniform. We followed him to the grave on horseback but could not see him. He was buried by the side of 4 or 5 hundred soldier’s graves.

I am going to get my picture taken as soon as I can and will send it to you.

We have just received our cannons and are well pleased with them and when we get drilled you may expect to hear from the Dubuque Battery. We have four six-pounders and two 12-pound Howitzers. We expect to leave as soon as we get drilled. I should like to have you send me some New York Independents as we can get nothing but St. Louis Daily Papers which do not amount to much.

I enclose in this letter fifteen dollars which I hope you accept as my first earnings in the U. S. Service. I wish I could send you more but I cannot. But I must close this letter. Give my love to Mr. & Mrs. Platt and to all my acquaintance there. From your son, — James Franklin

Direct to me, Dubuque Battery, 9th Regiment Iowa Volunteers, St. Louis, Mo.