The following letter was written by George O. Wheeler (1844-1922) of Locust Grove township, Jefferson county, Iowa, a native of Waitsfield, Vermont), who enlisted on 22 December 1863 in Co. G, 5th Iowa Infantry. He was transferred with the veterans to Co. I, 5th Iowa Cavalry when the two regiments were consolidated in the fall of 1864 and mustered out of the regiment in August 1865 at Nashville.

George died 18 March 1922 at Des Moines, Iowa.

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

Camp of the 5th Iowa Cavalry
Near Nashville, Tennessee
[November 1864]

Friend Steven,

It has been quite a while since I wrote to you. We left this place for Louisville the 27th of October. There we drew horses and started back and arrived here last week. We were 13 days on the march, nine of which were very rainy & I was very wet most of the time with plenty of mud spattered over my clothes to make it agreeable. On arriving in camp, I found eleven letters & twenty-six newspapers in the mail line & as a matter of course opened the letters first. I was a little surprised to see yours & Mrs. Stevens’ as I did not hardly expect you would have time to write but the letters were all the more welcome & I was glad to hear from you.

Since my last letter to you, my health has improved & I am once more well. I was weighed while in Louisville & weighed 140 lbs.

We are camped three miles from the city on the railroad leading to Huntsville, Alabama. We are to draw new arms in the morn and will have the saber, Spencer carbine, and no revolvers. The carbine is a seven shooter & I do not want to be troubled with a revolver. After all I have seen of the service, I am not yet sick of it & I would have enlisted in the Navy ere this & informed Mother of my intention of so doing but she begged me not to so hard that I have concluded to wait a while and make her a visit before so doing & explain the matter to her. Then perhaps she will feel better on the subject.

Tell Mr. Martin that I feel a little ashamed of myself for not paying him before I left home last spring but I did not think of it, but will not forget to send it as soon as I am paid which will not be long. It is true it is not much but I always believe in doing as I promise. And besides, a person who has to work for a living wants what is their own. If I could borrow it, I would send it in this letter but the Boys have all spent their money. It is impossible to borrow.

Last eve as we were marching through the streets of Nashville on our way to camp, I heard a person enquiring for Old Co. G, 5th Infantry. On looking around I discovered Wildrous Boll. I stopped & shook hands with him & noticed that he was not looking very well. On enquiring the cause, he informed me that he had been wounded not long since. I was ordered forward and was obliged to leave him with only a few words. I told him I would see him again & I will. Where I stopped the street was very narrow and so crowded that there was barely room to allow of two marching through & my stopping caused all of the column in the rear to wait & the surly Captain ordered me forward. I intend to get a pass & go to the city & hunt him up as I want to see him & apologize for leaving him so abruptly. I would not have done so if not forced to.

Your buying a horse and paying $160 for him and having him killed so soon is rather rough but such things will happen & I trust it is all for the best. In regard to investing my money, I will send some more soon & you may invest it in which way you think best. If I were up there, I could find a way to invest it. As it is, I am not posted & do not know where to invest it so it will pay. Use your own judgement & I will be satisfied & will pay you for your trouble & be very much obliged in the bargain.

I have written a long letter & hoping to hear from you soon, will close. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, –Geo. O. Wheeler