This letter was written by Guilderoy L. Patton (1840-1862), the son of Frederick Patton (1816-1875) and Elizabeth Rolfo (1812-1870) of Sterling, Brown county, Ohio. Guilderoy was 21 years old when he enlisted on 14 October 1861 to serve as a private in Co. C, 48th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). According to muster rolls, he died of typhoid fever at Camp Dennison on 2 March 1862, never having left the State of Ohio. Due to a shortage of recruits, they were not mustered into the service until mid-February 1862, after which they were sent to Paducah for duty. Guilderoy died just about five weeks before the regiment saw their first action at the Battle of Shiloh.

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Camp Dennison, Ohio
November 12th 1861

Frederick Patton. Dear father,

I have just finished a letter to mother and now I will undertake to write youy a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and I hope these few lines—if they reach you—will find you enjoying the same blessing. We are now camped out in our tents on the bare ground, Last night was the first we slept in them. It goes first rate. They had to dear down the shanties to build us our winter quarters. The carpenters are at work at them now. It is now, without a doubt, that we will winter [here]—at least we will go into winter quarters. Whether to remain all winter, we can’t tell but it looks as if we would from present appearance. The papers say that we have over 600 men in our regiment but we have but about 426 all told.

We are going to have good quarters. They will be 100 feet long, 30 feet wide (I believe I wrote in a letter 20 feet wide. It was a mistake) and to have 3 stoves, one to cook on and two other warming stoves. It will have 100 bunks, one for each man to sleep in. They are fixed just like those on a steamboat, exactly one above the other. In fact, the whole concern looks like the cabin on a boat, only there is no doors to go into the bunks.

There was one of our company by the name of Pratt (he is a brother to the one that sold or got trees of French Hill) who got his jaw broke last night. He attempted to break across the guard line when the guard struck him with a stone and broke his jaw. He is now in the hospital from the effects of it. They could not do anything with the guard as they was ordered to knock the first man down who attempted to cross the line.

Well we have plenty to eat you can judge for when I came here I weighed 142 pounds. Now I weigh 156 in my shirt sleeves. That is a large gain in so short a time but there is others that have gained in weight more yet again. I think I can get to come about the 1st of December but I would like you to be at home when I come then.

When you get this letter, I want you to write one right back when you will be at home so I will know when to come. Lem Hair is well. I believe I have told you all the news but one thing, we drew our knapsacks yesterday and I am writing this letter on mine. No more at present but remain your son till death, — Guilderoy L. Patton

to Frederick Patton

Direct to 48th Regiment, Co. C, Care of Captain J. W. Frazee, Camp Dennison, Ohio