The following letter was written by Ephraim Marsh (1842-1917) who served in Co. H, 104th Ohio Infantry. Ephram enlisted on 2 August 1862 and mustered out 17 June 1865. He was married in 1870 to Mary L. Wuchter (1850-1939) after the war.

Ephraim may have been an orphan. He was enumerated in the 1850 US Census in the household of Daniel Waggoner of Franklin township, Summit county, Ohio. In the 1860 US Census, he was enumerated as a 16 year-old farm laborer/boarder with the Samuel Warner family in Green township, Summit county, Ohio. Neither the Waggoner’s nor the Warner’s appear to be relatives of Ephram’s.

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

Camp near Stanford, Kentucky
July 16, 1863

Dear Friend,

It is with great pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hope you [are] the same. We are in camp at Stanford, Kentucky. We left Somerset and started after John Morgan but we did not go after him very far till we got tired of it and left him go. I heard that he was paying the Ohio people a visit. I hope they know enough not to let him go very far till they catch him.

I have not much to write this time but will try and do better when I get home and that will not be long if things keep on as they have done this while.

I received that [letter] Oliver wrote. He did not say anything about that money which I sent home. I sent five dollars about two months ago and do not know whether you got it or not in the last letter that I received from home that F. McConnaughey wrote.

The boys are all well at present. No more at present. From Ephram Marsh to his friends, one and all. Direct your letters to Stanford, Kentucky, Company H, 104th [Ohio] Regiment in care of Captain Ford.