This letter was written by Gustavus (“Gus”) A. Stevens (1843-1864) who enlisted in Co. K of the 12th Wisconsin with his cousin, Adelbert (“Del”) V. Stevens, in September 1861. In September 1863, Gus was arrested for robbery and sentenced to ten months in prison. He later died of disease in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on 19 August 1864. I believe Gus wrote this letter to his cousin, Edward B. Stevens who served in Co. C, 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery. See also—1863: Gustavus A. Stevens to Elvira Stevens published on Spared & Shared 7 in 2014.

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

Camp Randall [Madison, Wisconsin]
December 30th 1861

Dear Cousin,

This evening I have a few moments of leisure. I thought I would write you a line or two to let you know that I am alive yet, and expect to be for some time to come. We are about twenty of us gathered around a fire in a hole in the middle of the tent. You can imagine the chance that we have to write where there are a lot of fellows kicking around in every shape. Soldiering is a queer life! I cannot say that I dislike it or that I really like it. However, I am reasonably contented.

A. S. Sampson arrived here this evening. The most of our officers are away after deserters. I suppose it is settled that we shall get our pay from the United States within a few days. There is nothing certain about our State pay when we shall get it.

Adelbert has been quite sick for some time and has now gone home to stay until the first of Frebruary. I hope he will be all right by that time and meet us wherever we shall. be. I was up to Mr. Tullis’ last Christmas and had a pretty good time. I expect that we shall leave here the last of this week or the first of next. But I do not know as there is any more prospect of it than there has been for the last three or four weeks.

I am a little lonely sometimes on account of Adelbert being gone. I shall have to make the best of it all right. If I can’t stand it, there is no use for anyone else to try. No more at present. Yours as ever, — G. A. Stevens