The following letter was written by 18 year-old Henry C. Smith while serving in Co. C, 84th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI)—a three months’ regiment that was ordered to Cumberland, Md., June 11, and performed provost duty there till September. They were attached to Railroad District, Dept. of the Mountains, to July, 1862, and 8th Army Corps, Middle Department, to September. They moved to New Creek September 13 to repel an attack on that point by Jenkins and Imboden. They then moved to Camp Chase, thence to Camp Delaware, and mustered out October 14, 1862.

Co. C was recruited principally in Miami county, Ohio, but there were some members from Trumbull and Mahoning counties as well. Halbert Brigham Case (1838-1914) served as captain of Co. C. He had previously served as 1st Sergeant in Co. H, 7th OVI when it was a 3-months regiment and when it was reorganized as a 3-year’s organization, he was commissioned a Lieutenant and served in the campaigns of West Virginia. He resigned his commission to raise the company in the 84th OVI.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Camp Lawrence [Cumberland, Maryland]
August 27, 1862

Dear Father & Friends,

I received your letter dated the 24th today and will try and answer it. I should have written last Sunday but I had no paper nor money enough to buy any with but those stamps you sent came in play. But our time is so near out that I can get along without any more. I thought when I last wrote that we should be on the way home by this time but it seems as if that we was destined to stay in this old camp till our time is out. But we have stood it so long and I guess that we can make out a little longer.

There is not much news to write about. It is dull times here. There will be fun here in a few days for they will begin drafting and there will be lively times when that commences. It comes rather tough for some of them for they favor the secesh too much to go into the Union army and I am glad to see them brought to terms. I think they will learn to mind their own business and not say so much. But enough of this.

I am glad that there has been so many gone from our town. I think that we have sent our number of men and I hope they will not have to draft any in that town. Gov. Dennison of Ohio was here yesterday and made us a speech in regard to reenlisting. He wants we should all enlist again and he tried to scare us to enlist but he did not make out. He thinks that after we get home and stay a few days, we ought to go again but I think that we ought to be the judge in this matter. I believe that I would rather be drafted for 9 months than to enlist for three years.

The weather is very. hot and dry. It has not rained much for seven weeks and it is very dusty. The health of the regiment is very good considering all things. Walter has been quite sick but is getting better. He will be up in a few days again.

About coming home, I cannot tell anything about it. You will hear before we get there some way. If I come, I will let you know so as to meet us at Warren. I guess that I have written all I can think of and the mail will leave soon so I will stop. I may not write again before we leave this place but if I should not write, don’t be scared about me for if anything happens, you will hear of it very soon and with this I will close. yours as ever, — H. C. Smith