The following letter was written by Reuben Wheeler (1819-1882), the son of Charles Wheeler (1783-1843) and Lucy Winch of Natick, Massachusetts. Reuben was married in Natick in 1841 and relocated with his family to Depere, Brown county, Wisconsin, prior to 1850. In September 1861, Reuben volunteered to serve as a corporal in Co. F (“Depere Rifles”), 14th Wisconsin Infantry. This regiment was sometimes called the “Northwestern Regiment” or the “Wisconsin Regulars” for their gallantry on the battlefield. Reuben was wounded at Vicksburg on 22 May 1863 but survived and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant before war’s end.

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Camp Wood [Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin]
February 16, 1862

Dear Wife,

I received your letter of the 13th and 15th and was glad to hear that Herbert was getting so much better. I hope your breast will not trouble you again. You must be careful and not do anything to irritate it.

It has been very cold here for a few days, but is more moderate now. I was doing guard duty on Friday. I think it was as cold at 12 o’clock that night as I ever saw it. It seems that Mr. Blake is really a going to move. I called on them when I was coming up. Mrs. Blake did not seem to know whether they would move or not. The only thing she seemed to care about stopping for was for Mary to go to school. That I should think would hardly pay.

There is talk now of having pay and marching orders this week and it really seems to look like it. I am detailed tomorrow on special duties for making preparations for pulling up stakes which is certainly one move towards it. I will wait till after dress parade before I write any more and see if anything else is said about it.

Well, time is past for dress parade and no call for one so I shall get no more information tonight, but as soon as I do I will write again. The talk is that we shall go to Cairo—that such orders have been sent to the Governor to have all of the armed troops sent to Cairo and the remaining ones sent to St. Louis and there await further orders. It is said that we will have marching orders within ten days.

Having no more news I will close this time. When I get more definite news, I will write again.

Yours as ever, — R. Wheeler