The following letter was written by Daniel Crist Kitchel (1842-1928), the son of Daniel Kitchel (1795-1855) and Eliza Crist of Liberty, Union county, Indiana. At the time of the 1860 US Census, Daniel was living with and working as a farm hand for Enoch Coddington in Brownsville, Union county.

According to muster rolls, Daniel enlisted in Co. C, 8th Indiana Infantry in September 1861 and mustered out three years later at Indianapolis. He signed this letter as a sergeant but the date of his promotion isn’t recorded.

Daniel married Mary Ellen Babb (1845-1915) in 1869. When 86 year-old Daniel died in 1928, he had 39 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

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

Camp Helena, Arkansas
August 1, 1862

Friend Lucy,

It is with the most of pleasure that I am now able to fill my promise of yesterday. I wrote you a letter yesterday [and] I stated that I would send you my miniature of which I am able to do but it isn’t a very true one. The artist was very poor indeed. Lucy you must send me yours—that is, if you think I deserve it. Please write soon as you receive this. Yours truly, I remain your new friend, Sergeant D. C. Kirchel

To Miss L. Sullivan

Lucy, long may you live and happy, beloved by all, by most by me.