1864: Joseph S. Foreman to Nellie A. Foreman

The following letter was written by Joseph S. Foreman of Co. F, 126th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). He wrote the letter to his wife from the regiment’s encampment near Halltown, Virginia, a month after the Battle of Monocacy Junction, and just as they were about to participate in Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign.

The 126th Ohio transferred from the 3rd Corps to the 6th Corps in March 1864 and fought with the corps through the hardest battles of its service including the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, Monocacy, Third Winchester, Fisher’s Hill, Cedar Creek, and the assault at Petersburg on April 2, 1865.

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

Addressed to Mrs. Nellie A. Forman, Canal Fulton, Stark county, Ohio

Camp near Halltown, Virginia
August 7, 1864

Dearest wife,

I will now try to write a few lines to you in order to let you know how I am getting along. I am in the enjoyment of good health at this time for which blessing I trust that I feel truly thankful to Almighty God & I trust that when this reaches you it will find you all in the enjoyment of all God’s choicest blessings.

We are now on Virginia soil again about 3 miles from Harpers Ferry and about 1 mile from Halltown. We left Frederick City and marched to the south of the Monocacy & camped close to Tenleytown for about two days and then pulled up and marched to Monocacy Junction and took the cars for the Ferry and then came to this place where we have been since the day before yesterday. I can’t tell how long we will stay here but I don’t suppose very long as there is too many Rebels in the valley yet for us to lay long in one place.

There is a large force here now but if the reports are all true about moving of the Rebel army up the valley, it is not large enough to cope with them in open field. But I think General Grant is doing things up in a style to [ ] the Rebs over the left. I saw Grant the day we left Monocacy. There is the 6th, 8th, 19th and a part of the 13th [Army] Corps here and General Sheridan’s Cavalry, besides a good many Pennsylvania Militia.

I have not got any word from you for some time but I think the mail will come in today. The Rebels are still a roving around taking care of themselves and others too, but principally cavalry and we can’t catch them with infantry. But I think they will soon have run their course. I suppose there is some stir about the draft there as it will take out a good many more of the men but if they do have to come, I trust they will not have long to stay.

I will close for this time, praying that God’s choicest blessings may attend you all. From your husband till death, — J. S. Foreman

To Nellie A. Foreman