The following letter was written by Robert A. Dempster (1839-1912), the son of John Wesley Dempster (1817-1904) and Florania Huston (1820-1856) of Allen county, Ohio.

According to the 1890 Veterans Schedule, Robert served in Co. K, 33rd Ohio Infantry. The regiment was organized at Camp Morrow and in late October 1861 they were moved to Maysville, Kentucky where they spent the next two months pursuing Confederate Colonel John S. Williams’s command. Union forces eventually drove these Rebels out of Kentucky and into Virginia. The 33rd then boarded transports at Louisa, Kentucky on the Big Sandy River and traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, arriving here on December 1, 1861. At Louisville, the regiment was brigaded with the 10th Regiment Wisconsin Infantry, 2nd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and the 21st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Don Carlos Buell’s Army of the Ohio. The Army of the Ohio then advanced to Bacon Creek, Kentucky, where the 33rd remained until February 1862. After traveling further south into Tennessee and Alabama, the regiment participated in the Battle of Perryville where they entered the engagement with approximately four hundred men. The regiment had 129 men killed or wounded in the battle, nearly one-third of its total active strength.

Transcription

[Camp Morrow at Portsmouth, Ohio]
October 9th 1861

Friend,

It is with pleasure that I attempt to write you a few [lines] this morning to let you know where I am. I am on the U. S. Packet Bostona on our way to Portsmouth. We are pretty near there.

We left Camp Clark [Springfield, Ohio] yesterday morning at 5 o’clock. We went to Cincinnati. There we took the boat there to Portsmouth. We are going into camp there. I am well at this time & hope these few lines may find [you] enjoying the same blessing of this life. The boys are all well & in fine spirits.

I have been out onto the Kentucky shore. There was a secessioner on last night but he smelt powder & left. It was well for him. He had run off from Kentucky about a week ago. He went back last night. When he got off, he said he would have to take the Oath of Allegiance before 12 today.

We did not get to go home when I wrote that we expected to, but the next evening after I wrote you that letter, Father came to see us. His visit was very unexpected to us for when we left, he did not think of coming to camp. He thought he could live in a place like that. The next morning there was 4 of the boys came down that we were acquainted with. Pap only stayed one night with us. Camp life agrees with me very well. I am cook.

The folks were all well then. Some of them has had the sore throat again. Mother was some better than we are just at past month.

Since I stopped, we have left the boat [and] marched to Camp Morrow. We are in sight of the Kentucky hills. The hills are very large. They look very low this morning. As we sailed along the shore of Kentucky, the men & boys, women & children were gathered on the shore in squads with music and the Stars & Stripes floating over them. As we passed, they would give the volunteers three hearty cheers, three for Lincoln, and then three for Kentucky. You’d better think they opened their mouths then. When we landed at Postsmouth, the people looked as though they had never seen anybody. I often think of home & of my home in Union. I think if ever I get home that I shall come to see you all. Tell the folks that I am well & that I like a soldier’s life.

Last night we slept on a bed for the first since we left home. Our trip from Springfield to Portsmouth will cost Uncle Sam over $300. You must give my respects to all enquiring friends. We don’t know how long we will stay here. Some of the boys here say that we will leave here tomorrow. There is ten companies here now & one to come. It will be split to fill up the other companies. No more at present. — Robert A. Dempster

To Sterlings