The following letter was written by Hiram Elliott (1843-1926), the son of Nathaniel Elliott (1802-1846) and Jane May (1803-1885) of Corydon, Harrison county, Indiana. Hiram wrote the letter in March 1865 while serving in Co. K, 59th Indiana Volunteers. He addressed to the letter to his mother but also included messages to his sister Martha (“Mat”) Elliott (1826-Aft1903), the wife of William A. Davis (1830-1865) and his cousin Jesse.

Jesse was living at home and working as a carpenter/house joiner in Harrison county, Indiana, at the time of the 1863 Draft Registration. He enlisted on 19 February 1864 as a recruit and was mustered out of the regiment on 17 July 1865. Hiram mentions his brother, Pleasant Elliott, who was drafted into Co. G, 9th Indiana Infantry in September 1864. Pleasant was mustered out of the regiment on 8 June 1865.

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Barracks No. 1
Louisville, Kentucky
March the 11th 1865

Most kind Mother,

I received your kind letter this morning and it [was] read with great pleasure for I am always glad to hear from you. I am well and hearty and I hope this letter may find you well and [with] an appetite like a elephant.

I haven’t got much to write but I was glad to hear that you was getting well for that was all my trouble. I just came from Cairo this morning and we had a good time. we found some pretty cold weather in Illinois and a pretty country too. And me and Tom will go to new York tomorrow so I haven’t much to write and I will bring my letter to a close. I wish you all the good luck in the world and hope this war will be over pretty soon and we can see a good time. Give [my respects to] all enquiring friends, if any there be. I still remain your son and friend until death, — H. Elliott

To his mother, Mrs. Jane Elliott

Kind sister, it is with great pleasure that I answer those few lines that came to hand this morning and that [were] read with great pleasure. I was glad to hear that you and the baby was well. I hope you may enjoy yourself and the pleasure of life till [brother] Pleas[ant] returns home. I know you and mother will have a lonesome time but you must content yourselves as well as you can for I don’t think the time is far off when we will all come home and live in peace till death calls us to part. Then we will have to leave without grumbling. Mat, I wish you and mother all the good luck that heart can wish.

So I will bring my letter to a close. I still remain your brother as ever, — H. Elliott

[to] Mrs. Martha Elliott

Write soon. Goodbye.

Kind Cousin, I seat myself tonight to enclose you a few lines in answer to the one that I received from you this morning. I was glad to hear from you once more and to hear that you was well and hearty. I am happy to say I am well and hearty. I have just come off of guard. I will start for New York tomorrow evening. I think I will have a good time. I haven’t anything of importance to write at present. We have had some right smart water here for the last week. It was clear up in port land but I don’t know that it done much damage. Me and Thomas Alexander has some good times here. We just got [here] from Cairo this morning.

You wanted me to come home. I will do that as soon as I get the chance, you know. As it is getting late, I will bring my letter to a close by saying I still remain your cousin till death. You must write soon and often. — Hiram Elliott

to Jesse Soks

Excuse bad writing & spelling. Goodbye for tonight.