These letters were written by Harmon J. Trask (1843-1912), the son of Israel Trask (1804-1844) and Sophia Mallory (1818-1854). Israel and Sophia emigrated from Ohio to Fulton County, Illinois, from which place they removed to Jefferson township, Louisa County, Iowa, in 1837. Harmon’s three siblings were Emily Bly Trask (b. 1836), Cornelia Evangeline Trask (1840-1915), and Calista Sophia Trask (1844-1912). Emily married George W. Hook in 1854. Cornelia married Roseberry M. Wilson in 1862. Calista married William H. Prouty in 1867.
Harmon was also born at Wapello. He married Elizabeth Weber on November 2, 1878, in Newton, Kansas. They purchased land in Macon Township, and also in Newton Township. Prior to this, Harmon served five years in Co. K, 8th Iowa Infantry. He was a survivor of the Lewisville, Alabama Confederate Prison, where he was taken after his capture at the Battle of Shiloh. They had one daughter, Elsa, and a son who died as an infant. Elsa was graduated from Bethel Academy, later marrying V. E. Duncanson. They had one son, Lowell, and they lived in San Bernardino, California.
Letter 1
Camp Near Black Water [Mississippi]
July 25, 1863
Dear Sister,
I received your letter a few days ago written the 29th of June & was glad to hear that you were all well &c. &c. I am hardy as a buck & Seth Strand [Stevans?] came from the hospital today. He is well &c. &c.
Cornelia, we have fine times a gathering peaches. We have all we can eat or use in any shape or form. I made $4.50 yesterday and today gathering peaches and selling & we have to go about two miles for them.
I wrote you a letter while we were at Jackson [Mississippi]. We had fine times chasing old [Joseph E.] Johnston & if he had of stayed there in Jackson two days longer, we would of had his entire army but we got a great many as it was.
And yes, I heard about that & I was shocked when I heard of it for last summer when I heard she was going with him, I wrote to her and tried to persuade her to not have anything to do with him & she said that she would not have anything to do with her but it appears as thought thought I knew nothing about him.
I will bring this to a close for I want to write a few lines to Calista. You need not send any paper now for I have got my knapsack now and have got a plenty.
But when we start off on a march, we leave everything behind so as to be as light as possible. No more. Write soon. — H. J. Trask
Sister Calista,
I have wrote you one letter since I have not heard from you. I wish you was here to help me eat peaches. We have some of the best peaches I have eaten for a long time. Calista, Saturday will be my birthday & shall sister: would like to know whether you are going to school or not. If you are, I will send you some money for we will get our pay shortly. Please go for me. I will pay the bill.
Goodbye. — H. J. Trask
Letter 2
Memphis, Tennessee
August 28th 1864
Dear Sister,
This is Sunday evening and “all quiet on the Potomac,” I guess, for it did not make more than his salt in that raid [on Washington D. C.].
I received a letter from you yesterday & one the day before. They both surprised me although I was glad to hear that you was all well for I was afraid I would hear some had sickness. I hope none of them will take any back set. I got a letter from Rhoda about a week since. She took it pretty hard about leaving her babe. If I ever see its daddy, he will go the same road if it costs me my life. I wrote her a letter two or three weeks ago. Hard I are her Hale Columbia. [?]
I would like to have you come down here but I would be afraid you would get hurt coming down for the guerrillas frequently fire into the boats. One of our boys has is wife here & is keeping house. Tell Cornelia she might throw a load of melons in the river and let them float down.
Frank Bros is here in town. I saw him yesterday. He is hearty as I ever saw him. He said that the boys in his regiment were well & going to Atlanta. Our Brigade and Devision has started for Atlanta. Been gone two or three weeks from here. Tell Blade I will be his grandfather as long as he lives if he will be so ever lasting obliging as to step so high and stoop so low as to write me a few lines.
I am sorry to say that I cannot accommodate you but I think we will get pay about the 15th or 20th. Borrow some of Mosier until I can send you some. I know he will let you have it. Edgar just came in. He was out to the 45th Iowa. He says they are all well. Marshall and Sam are a going to come to [ ] after they go home.
Well, supper is pretty near ready and I will have to close or they will get the start on me. This leaves me in good health. Write soon. Your brother, — J. J. Trask
Well, Sis, I have eaten my supper and feel some better since I ate a bit of supper. You need not be afraid for me showing my lettrs. I have no trouble reading your writing. I can read your writing better than I can my own. I don’t expect you can read it for I have such a poor pen and I always get in such a hurry after I get a letter half written. Your letters comes here from three days, the most of them from 5 to 7 days. No more at present. As ever, your brother, — H. J. Trask
A private in the rear ranks, Co. K, 8th Iowa
Letter 3
Memphis [Tennessee]
January 15, 1865
Dear sister Calista,
I will try to write you a few lines to let you know that I am still a kicking. I received a letter from you yesterday. Am sorry to hear that you was all sick with colds. I can’t see that I was down-hearted any when I wrote you last.
This is the Sabbath day & I am on patrol. How I wish you was here. We have very nice weather here the most of the time. Today seems like the break on Spring. We will hardly have anymore cold weather here.
Col. [James L.] Geddes has got back. He has been at home for two or three months. We heard that he had resigned but he came back the other night & everyone was looking for him. He says he is going to stay with us till our time is out & they are going to build barracks for our regiment here in town and we will having nothing to do but patrol the town &c.
You said you would like to know who my duck is. She don’t live many miles from Blackhawk but she is now getting better. She has had the typhoid fever. I believe doesn’t care. They think about Netty. I don’t believe he ever thought a great deal of her.
I am glad to hear that you can have meeting at Tooleshard ___ more. Hope they may have good success for God knows that the people there have led far astray from the commandments and our father which art in heaven. You say that you don’t know but what you will join the church. If you do ever strive to serve our father in heaven & never be led astray from the path of God for remember, dear sister, that we had a father & mother in that blessed land above and I want to meet them there & I hope you & Cornelia and Emily will strive to serve God. Pray to him. He will answer prayers for he has said so.
I will bring my scribbling to a close. Don’t think that I was crying when I wrote this for I was not. Don’t expect you can read this for I always get in such a hurry. Excuse all mistakes from your brother until death.
Harmon J. Trask
to his sister Calista S. Trask
Spared & Shared 23 