The following letter was written by Uriah “Jasper” VanPelt (1846-1864), the son of Uriah VanPelt (1802-1846) and Elmira Daugherty (1809-1899) of Anderson, Madison county, Indiana. Jasper wrote the letter to his older brother, Francis (“Frank”) Marion VanPelt (1838-1930) who served as a sergeant, later a 2nd Lieutenant, in Co. G, 17th Indiana Infantry. In his letter, Jasper mentions two siblings, Mathilda (“Tillie”) VanPelt (b. 1842), and William (“Bill”) Parker VanPelt (1844-1931) who joined Co. H of the 142nd Indiana Infantry in October 1864 as a fife and drum musician.

Jasper later enlisted in the Co. F, 137th Indiana Infantry—a unit organized in May 1864 to serve 100 days guarding Sherman’s supply line through Tennessee & Alabama during his Atlanta Campaign. Jasper died of disease at Tullahoma, Tennessee, on 24 August 1864 and his body was taken home by his brother Frank to be buried in the family plot in Maplewood Cemetery.

I was requested to transcribe this letter by Bradford Douglas, a descendant of the VanPelt family, who wrote me the following: “I have a letter not year dated from my 2nd great grandfather’s brother [Jasper]. He would die from disease in Tullahoma, TN on Aug. 24, 1864. My 2nd great grandfather [Frank] was with Wilders Brigade 17th Ind Co. G as a 1st Lieutenant and had received leave to see his dying brother. He was with him when he died and was granted leave to take him back to Anderson, Indiana, where he is buried in the family plot. This letter was written to my great grandfather while he was in service during the civil war. Some I can read but in full is really hard. He signs it Jasper as their father’s name was Uriah as well.” — Bradford Douglas

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

[Anderson, Indiana]
August 18th [1863]

Dear Brother,

I for the first time in my life will attempt to write you a letter to let you know that I am well & Mother is a little sick. Bill is in the army. He is in the 109th. ¹ He is well at this time. We have a good country [?] here at [ ]. The corn is good—the best in the State. Our corn will make 75 to the acre. Well, Frank, I would like for you to be at home this winter and fall to go to the College to school with me. I am lonely since Bill left.

Well, you spoke about going to school. I have not went any since I came here. Tillie went some this spring. I shall start the next term. Winter [term] will commence the 16th of next month. Well, when you come to this place. please call at 105, corner of Main and College Street and you will find me there.

The cattle of the county is good. Well, I have wrote all that will interest you. Give my love to all the Boys. So no more at present. Write soon.

I believe we are all soldiers. I belong to the Legion. We have a company here of 50 men—mounted infantry—and is to be sworn in next Saturday. No more at present. Your brother, — Jas U. J. VanPelt

P. S. I had a letter from S___. He is well just at this time. He says he is W_____ at the [ ].

¹ The only service record I can find for William P. VanPelt is the 142nd Indiana Infantry which he did not join until October 1864. His obituary claims that he served as a musician “throughout the war” as a member of the 115th Indiana Infantry. This regiment served for only 6 months beginning with the threat of Morgan’s Raiders, from August 1863 to February 1864. Though I don’t find him on the roster, my hunch is that he was with this regiment when the letter was written and that the letter was therefore written in August 1863 when Jasper was 17.