The following letter was written on stationery of Battery B, 1st Ohio Veteran Volunteer Artillery and was signed “Charlie” but I am unable at this time to confirm his identity. He wrote the letter to Amelia Marx (1848-1900), the daughter of Fred and Catherine (Moers) Marx, both German Jewish emigrants to the United States. Amelia married Joseph Strauss (1846-1932) in 1875. Amelia had a brother named Moses Marx, a baker by trade, who enlisted at age 18 in Battery B, 1st Ohio Artillery in August 1862 but was discharged on disability in late March 1863.

The only other soldier listed on the roster was “Thomas Marks” who was 43 when he enlisted in 1863. His General Index Card spells his name variously as Marks or Marx so I’m going to assume that Charlie was his middle or first name. Census records do not show a Charles or Charlie, or Thomas for that matter, but if he were born in 1820, he would have most likely been living on his own by 1850.

[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Evan Hammon and was offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

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

Battery B, 1st Ohio Veteran Vol. Artillery
Bridgeport, Alabama
March 17, 1865

Dear Sister,

I received yours of the 4th and I was happy to hear from you. I am well and in good health. You were wrong when you said I had forgotten you. I told why I did not write. I shall endeavor to answer your letters after this as often as I receive them and I don’t think you can complain if I write one as often as you do. It would be impossible to do more at present as I am at work every day and when night comes, I don’t feel much like sitting up to write but I have to do it as I have a good many correspondents at present and I have written as high as five letters in one night and then not answer all I receive.

I received a letter from a cousin of mine who lives in the state of New York and one I have not seen for over 15 years. Her name is Mary E. Fowler. After I had answered her letter, I had a dozen more relations to write to in that state and I have written to Mary Dick also so you see I have my hands full to answer all the letters I receive. Well perhaps I can improve some in writing by having so much writing to do. I hope so for I am ashamed of my writing as poor as it is now.

I have no news of importance to write as there is little or nothing going on at this post and it don’t seem as though there was any war at all for everything is so quiet here. I don’t think the war will last a great while longer. The rebels are about played out and the coming summer will, I think, wind the thing up. I hope so, for I am very anxious to get home this summer—or at least before the summer is out.

We are having very fine weather down here and the fruit trees are blossoming and the fields begin to look green and like they do in the summer. I wish it was so you and Annie could come down and see me. I have a nice little house all to myself and everything in it is very nice—almost too nice for a soldier.

Well, I intend to have things comfortable as possible when I have the means to do it. How are you getting along in the shop with Eddy? I hope you don’t quarrel with your boss. You had better not for he will discharge you. I must now close for the present. Write soon. My love to all and please accept the same. Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain your affectionate brother, — Charlie