The following letter was written by a soldier in Co. A, 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). Unfortunately he did not sign his letter or there was, at one time, a second sheet. He wrote the letter to his sister but does not give her name. We only know that she (and probably he) lived in East Cleveland, Ohio.

Transcription

Camp Lookout [West Va.]
August 19, 1861

Dear sister mine,

You must excuse me for not answering your letter sooner as I have had so much else to do that I did not know what to do first but as the old saying is better late than never, I take his opportunity to pen you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope that this may find you and all the inhabitants of East Cleveland in the same good health. I am here and have been ever since I arrived and shall be until I leave.

We expect a fight in the course of time if not before. There is a body of troops under Gov. Wise some twenty miles from here and we have them surrounded on every side and they have got to fight their way out or surrender. And we are the weakest force, it is probable that they will attack us if they do and over power us. We will retreat and fall back and join Cox where the rebels will meet their reward. I hope they will attack us for we are getting tired staying here and not have the fun of one good fight that we may show them what the 7th Regiment is made of.

Our company has had three or four skirmishes with the secessionists and killed ten or twelve and took a hundred prisoners at different times. Capt. [Orrin Johnson] Crane returned from a scout this morning and fetched four rebels and two horses with him. We are having fine times here. It [seems] about two weeks to me since we left Camp Dennison but it is nearly two months.

I am keeping a journal of all the doings of the 7th in Virginia which I shall fetch home with me when I come. I would send it if it was not for its getting lost on the road. We can send letters now without paying the postage on them but you will have to pay it when you take them out of the office. Write whether you got the verses that I sent you or not. I shall send you the Star Spangled Banner in this.

Write all the news and how the folks are all getting along. It rains every other day here. It is not very warm here but muddy as it can be. If we are attacked here, we may stay a month. We can’t tell when we are a going to march an hour beforehand,, not where we are going. Col. [E. B.] Tyler says that we will be sent home by Christmas but I don’t care when we are nor when we ain’t. [no signature]