The following letters were written by Frederick Fogle (1838-1904) of Harmony, Pennsylvania, who enlisted as a private on 26 August 1863 in Co. G, 76th Pennsylvania Infantry (Keystone Zouaves). The regiment was organized in Harrisburg, PA, and fought in Virginia and the Carolinas. The 76th was engaged in the battles of Secessionville, Pocotaligo, and Cold Harbor before Frederick was wounded on 10 June 1864 after which he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps (VRC). He was discharged from the VRC in mid-June 1865.

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Letter 1

September 30th 1863

Dear Wife,

I take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know where I am. I am at Camp Copeland twelve miles from Pittsburgh up the Monongahela river. I am well at this time hoping that you and sis is well and all the rest of the folks, I don’t know when we will leave this place. We may leave here in two days and we may stay here three weeks. We don’t know when we will leave here. When we leave here, I expect to go to the Army of the Potomac. There was one hundred started from here last night. They was sent to the Army of the Potomac and I expect to get clear when I get there. If I don’t, do the best you can. I would like to know how you are getting along. I want you to write to me and let me know how you are getting along at home. I will send those books home to you. They was given to me and a testament and a hymn book. So no more at present but remain yours truly, from. Frederick Fogle

To Lovina Fogle

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Letter 2

October 19th 1863

Dear wife,

I take the opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you and sis well at the present time and hoping that the rest of the folks is well when this letter will reach you. I received your letter the 13th day of October and I was glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well. I would [like] to have heard from you again before we left this camp but I suppose that I will not as we are going to leave here tomorrow and we don’t know where we will go. We are going to Philadelphia the first place and then we expect to go on board of a vessel and go to South Carolina—that is, at Charleston, where they are fighting. I am afraid that we will not have as good times as we have here. We have had easy times. We have not done anything since we came here but to eat.

I wrote Sam a letter when I wrote the first letter to you and I have not got any letter from him yet. You wrote to me that George went after my clothes and they was not there. I sent them in the care of Gates Manross and it might have been in the depot. He ought to went there and seen. If he did not, I think that he had better go and see again if they are not there. Tell George to and tell Anna to write to me and tell the rest of the folks to write to me and let me know how they are getting along.

Ena, I want you to write as often as you can and let me know how you are getting along since I left. You must do the best that you can till I come home again. You had not as much buckwheat as I thought you would have had. I want you to try and get some rye in if you can for if I go so far away, it may be some time before I get home again so I want you to do the best you can for I expect that it will be some time before you hear from me again. You need not write to me again till I write to you and I don’t know when that will be so I must close my letter for it is most bed tome. But I must tell you that we have just got news that we are going tomorrow morning at three o’clock.

So no more at present but remain yours truly. Here is a couple of rings for you that I made to send for to remember me and one for little sis, so goodbye for the present time. From Frederick Fogle to Lovina Fogle, my only true and beloved wife.

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Letter 3

October 21st 1863

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you well while I am now a good ways from home. I am now in Philadelphia. We came here last night and we are going to leave here tomorrow and we are going to South Carolina and we are going all the way from here by sea. They say that it is about nine hundred miles from here and I am now about five hundred miles from home. I want you to do the best you can till I come home, if I ever do. We will trust in God as for that and He will bring us home. We won’t get examined now till we get to the regiment where we are going to so you need not look for another letter for some time. They say it will take us about seven days to cross the sea and when I can get to where we will stop. Then I will write to you again. So no more at present but remain yours truly. So goodbye. From Frederick Fogle

To Mrs. Lovina Fogle

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Letter 4

[Hilton Head, South Carolina]
November 15, 1863

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you and sis enjoying good health and hoping that all the rest of the folks is well.

Today is Sunday. It is one week tomorrow since I wrote to you and I intend to write about once a week to you and I think that is all I can write because my money is most done and my paper is most done so I will write once a week to you. I am on camp guard today. I am on two hours and off four.

We moved about six miles and was there about two days and then we moved back where we was. I want you to write to me all the particulars. Write what George is doing with the horses, if he is hauling with them or not. And write if you think you will have feed enough to winter the things or not. If you ain’t, you had better sell some of the things.

I got a letter from Polly and she said that the bears had killed one of the sheep. I want you to tell me how you are getting along and I want to know if there is anything to be made hauling and to know if George got the rye seed. So you must do the best you can till I come home. Tell Granny that I send my best respects to her and hope that she is well. I want you to write who stays with you.

So I will close my letter for this time. Write as soon as you get these few lines. So goodbye for this time. From Frank Fogle

To Lovina Fogle

Co. G, 76th Regt. Pennsylvania Volunteers, Hilton Head, S. C.

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Letter 5

Hilton Head
November 22, 1863

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hoping that those few lines may find you enjoying good health. I wrote you a letter and sent it by one of the teamsters the fourth of this month and one of the boys found it the other day. It had been opened and throwed away. I had put some cotton in it and I suppose they thought it was money and opened it and throwed it away.

Vina, I want you to write all the particulars how you are getting along and write if you have any way of getting things or not that you want. And write if the horses is doing well or how they look. And write what George is doing with them. And I want you to write if Neal says any [thing] about his pay and if any of the rest says anything about their pay or not. And write what John is doing and what your dad is doing and if he has come up to see you yet or not. I want you to tell me if Uncle John has moved to Flemiing’s Mill or not. And tell him to write to me.

I suppose that you have plenty of snow there now but it is warm here. There is plenty of oranges grown here and cotton. And there is plenty [paper torn]. We have all we want to eat of [paper torn]… I will send you some more cotton and see [paper torn].

I am about fifteen hundred miles from home and that is a good ways from home. There’s no one here that I know. Metcalf is here—that is, Clarissa Copeland’s man. You can tell Copeland’s that he is with me and that he is well. I have just come off of guard and I can’t think of much to write but when I am walking my beat two hours at night, it makes me think of home. That if I was there, I would not have that to do. I would like to see you all and little Sis especially. I would like to hear from you and would like to know if you got them clothes or not. If you don’t get them, I will get my likeness taken the first chance I get but it costs a good deal to get one taken here. It will [cost from a dollar to a dollar and a half apiece here. Tell the rest of the folks to write to me. I would like to get about three or four letters a week from some of you. Tell George and Ann to write to me and tell John to write to me.

So I will have to close my letter for this time. Eggs here is 50 cents per dozen and flour is 16 dollars per barrel and butter is from 40 to 45 cents per pound here. So no more at present but I reain yours truly, — Frederick Fogle

To Mrs. Lovina Fogle

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Letter 6

Hilton Head, S. C.
November 29, 1863

Dear and affectionate wife,

I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at preset and hoping that these few lines may find you and sis enjoying good health. I have wrote every Sunday since I have been here and have not got any answer from them yet. It is just one month today since we landed here and I think that it is about time that I had a letter from you.

There is nothing much going on here now. The Rebels throwed a shell at one of our boats night before last and yesterday three of our boats went and charged on them but they didn’t fire at our boats. They kept still. We could see our boats firing at them and hear the shells burst.

We got our guns day day before yesterday and our ammunition so we are ready for them now if they want to come but I wouldn’t want to go now for it is raining too hard now to go. We was out on dress parade yesterday with out guns and I guess there was some awkward moves made. But we must live and learn, and we can learn something new here every day. We was all vaccinated the other day. I don’t know how it will [take].

Vina, I haven’t much to write this time but want you to write me all the particulars. Write how you get along. I suppose that there is plenty of snow there. I want you to write if you got a stove or not, or if you got the house fixed or not. I want you to write how you got the taxes or if you have paid them.

Vina, we had the rules of pay fed to us yesterday and I suppose it will be about a month yet before we get our money. We will get about four months pay which is thirteen dollars a month and I will get twenty-five dollars bounty [with] the first payment. That is about all that I have to write this time.

I want you to write as soon as you get these few lines and tell the rest of them to write to me. So do the best you know how till I get home. So no more at present but remain yours truly. From Frederick Fogle.

Vina, here is a little book that I sends to little sis. So no more. Goodbye for this time.

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Letter 7

Hilton Head [S. C.]
December 4, 1863

Dear wife,

I received your letter yesterday and was glad to hear that you and sis was well at that time. I am well at present and have had my health good ever since I have been in the army. It has been middling warm here the most of the time but the nights is middling cold some of the time. I got three letters yesterday—one was from you and one from you and George, and one from Sam. They are well but Sam says that it is middling sickly there. It is not sickly here.

You wrote that you wanted to know how we eat. We have plates to eat off of and we have knives and forks and spoons and then we have a board for a table and our bed is made of corn leaves in the bottom and then we have blankets to put under and over top of us so we sleep middling well.

There was a great salute of cannons fired yesterday for General Grant’s victory over Bragg’s army. It is reported that Bragg’s army is cut all to pieces. I am glad to hear that you are getting you a stove so you can keep warm this winter and I am glad to hear that you are getting along as well as you are. I hope that you may get along well while I am so far from home and I hope that you and sis may keep in good health. Tell sis that here is another little book for her and to take good care of them till I get home. I got the hairs that you sent to me but you did not tell me who’s is was. I am glad to hear that you got my clothes and likenesses. I want you to write if you get a pair of shoes with the clothes. I sent a pair. I tied them on the carpet sack.

Metcalf is here and is well. He writes in his letters how I am and I write in mine how he is. Tell Granny that I hope her well and I send my best respects to her and to all the rest of the friends. Tell them to write to me. I haven’t been examined since I left home. The lawyers said that there was no use of trying to get clear with them writings. They said if we had them in the first place, that they could of got me clear. So no more at present but remain yours truly. So goodbye for this time. Write often. From Frederick Fogle

To Lovina Fogle

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Letter 8

Hilton Head, S. C.
December 11, 1863

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you and sis well and all the rest of the folks is well. I got a letter from Uncle John today and I was glad to hear from them but they didn’t say whether you was well or not. But I trust that you are well or he would have told in his letter. I thought that I would have got a letter from you today but I did not get one from you. I was disappointed for I thought that I would hear from you today. But I expect that I will not hear from you for a week for the mail only comes here once a week.

The mail started out from here last Sunday and was sent back and didn’t go for two or three days. We don’t know what it was sent back for but it was supposed that it was sent back for to take recruits to Charleston but they didn’t take any of us. We are only sixty miles from Charleston and about sixteen miles from Savannah and Charleston Railroad but we will be apt to stay here this winter. We haven’t had any very cold weather here yet. There is some middling cold winds. But I expect that you have plenty of snow thewre now and cold weather. Write who gets your wood and how you get along by this time. You need not send me any post stamps. Keep them for yourself to write. If I want you. to send me some, I will write to you. If I get out, I can borrow money to get them here.

I sold my revolver the other day for eight dollars but I didn’t get any money down on it. I am to get my pay for it when we get our pay. That will be about a month or more. I only give two dollars and a half for the revolver in trading around so I think that I will do well enough if I get my pay for it and there is not any danger unless he dies.

Tell Uncle John that I will write to him in two or three days. Tell Will that I don’t want him to kill all the wildcats for I want to kill them when I get home. Tell George to clean out my gun or it will spoil and I don’t want it to spoil for I want to use it when I get home to kill wildcats and deer if Will don’t kill them all.

So no more at present. Write soon. So goodbye for this time. From Frederick Gogle

To Lovina Fogle.

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Letter 9

Hilton Head, S. C.
January 2, 1864

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at the present time and hoping that these few lines will find you and sis well and all the rest of the folks. As yesterday was New Year’s, there was nor much going on here but we had some apples for our New Year’s present. It is middling cold here today and I suppose that it is not very warm up there neither. Tonight I have to go on guard and I think it will be awful cold but it is middling cold in our tents as well as outdoors because we have no fires in our house here. So I will quit until tomorrow to see if I don’t get a letter from you. We was mustered in for our pay day before yesterday and we will get our pay in about ten or fifteen days from the time that we was mustered in.

Today is the 3rd and the mail has not come. Today it is cold and not much going on here. I was on picket last night and it was cold so I will not write any more today, I think that tomorrow the mail will come for the boat is into the Head. There is nothing more that I will write to you about the money the women draws for to support them. They draw so much a month for the women and so much for a child. I don’t know how much it is a month and you may just as well have it as anybody else. I have to pay my share to keep up this money and you have just as good a right to your share of it as anybody. The most of the soldier’s women is getting it. If you want to draw it, all you have to do is to go to the Squires and swear that I am in the army and that you [en]rolled it. John Fleming will fix it for you. You can get it if you are a mind to. Try for to get it. You can do as you please about it but it is just as good for you as any one else and it will save that much more of what I make here. I want to save all I can while I am in the army so to have something to begin with again when I get home. But I want you to use as much as you. please so to live as comfortable as you can till I come home for to provide for you again. Write in the next letter whether you think you will apply for that money or not. If we get as much money as we expect to get when we get paid off this time, we will get ninety dollars. We will get four month’s pay and twenty-five dollars bounty and one month’s pay in advance.

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Letter 10

[Hilton Head, S. C.]
January 20, 1864

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to. let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines may find you and sis well and all the rest of the folks. I received your letter today that was wrote January. 3rd and was glad to hear that you and sis was well at that time. I am glad to receive your letters. There was two mails in before his but I did not get any letter from you till today. I wrote you a letter the 9th day of this month and I wrote one to Sam the same day. Sam said that he had wrote to Pap but he didn’t think worth while to write to him. I wrote Pap a letter the 6th of this month and this is the third letters that I have wrote to you this month and this letter that I got today is the third letters that I have got from you in this month.

Vina, you wanted to know how we cook our oysters. Sometimes we just throw them on the fire and roast them, and sometimes we take them out of the shells and boil them with hard tack so that is the way that we cook them. You wrote that it is very cold there. It is not cold here—only the nights, but we have got a fire in our little white houses so we can keep middling comfortable. We have a good deal of wet weather here. Today is pleasant and I am glad of that for I have got to go on picket tonight and stay on 24 hours this time.

It is middling healthy here. There is no one sick in this regiment now. They are all well. Metcalf is well. They all think that I have got very fat since I came down here. I think that I ought to get fat for there is not much to do here and I am as hearty and rugged as a bear. I think that it will cure me of them spells that I had.

Vina, we expected to get our pay the fifteenth of this month but we did not get it and I don’t know whether we will get it this month or not. Tell Mant that I will write in the next letter to her for I hain’t time to write this time as I will close for this time. Write as soon as you get these few lines. Tell George and Ann to write to me. From Fred Fogle

To Lovina Fogle

Remember me when this you see
Though many a mile we distant be
Forget me not, forget me never
Till yonder sun shall set forever

To Betsy Jane Fogle and Lovina Fogle

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Letter 11

Hilton Head, S. C.
February 13, 1864

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you and sis enjoying the same blessing. I received a letter from you today and was glad to hear that you and all the rest of the folks was well. I received a letter from Uncle John today too. This is the second letter from you this month and one from John Manross and one from Uncle John but the last month I received nine letters, four from you and one from you and Samantha, and one from Polly, one from Sam, and one from John Manross, and one from George and I wrote and sent as many as I got. Anna wrote me a letter December 15th. This is the last letter that you wanted to know if I got it.

I got a pass to go to the Head last Wednesday and I went to the Post Office and found my name on the list of back letters and inquired for the letter and they give it to me. There was a mistake made in backing the letter. The seventy six was left out and they didn’t know where to send the letter to. You must be careful and back the letters as the directions is or they will not come to me. You see this letter has been about two months coming to me and if I hadn’t of went to the office, it might have been there yet. I get two or three letters every mail and I answer every one. I have plenty of paper and plenty of envelopes and plenty of stamps now. I can get paper, envelopes, stamps as cheap as you can up there and I will answer every one of your letters.

Vina, I haven’t much to write this time. I sent twenty dollars in the other letter and I will send you twenty in this letters and that is all that I can send till I get paid again. I wrote to the provost marshal in Meadville to see if I can’t get the rest of my pay but have got no answer from him yet. Vina, tell Granny that I have not forgot her yet and if I was home, I bet that I would take her down to Uncle John’s. Tell her that I send my best respects to her now and forever.

Vina, you must do the best you can till I come home. If you move down home you must content yourself the best you can till I come home and try and keep things together as much as you can and get all the grain put in that you can so you can have something to keep you next winter. Write how the feed is a going to hold out this winter—if you will have enough or not.

So I will quit writing for this time. Be sure and write if you get this money. I remain yours truly. From Frederick Fogle

To Lovina Fogle. Direct to Co. G, 76th Regt. P. V., Hilton Head, S. C.

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Letter 12

Hilton Head, S. C.
February 29th 1864

Dear and affectionate wife,

I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you and sis enjoying the same blessing and all of the [rest] of the folks.

Vina, we was mustered in today for two months more pay. I suppose we will in the course of fifteen days and when I get it I will send you some more. I have sent forty dollars and I suppose I will send twenty more when I get my pay this time. The mail has come and I received a letter from you and one from Annie and one from Joseph Carason this mail and was glad to hear from you all and to hear that you was all well. I was sorry to hear that sis was so sick but glad to hear that she was getting well. Hoping that the next letter that I get that she may be well again.

Vina, you said that Gordon was getting that money for you. I hope that he will get it for you. I want you to give Irie Copeland all that you can spare till you get him paid up but keep enough for you to use yourself. If you get twenty dollars as you wrote you would, I think that you can about pay him this time. After you pay Irie, you can keep the rest only what you want to use yourself as quick as you can and pay Pap what he lent me when I came away and then keep the rest for you to use. And if you draw that money regular, I think you can get along till I come home.

Vina, when you get Irie Copeland paoid, don’t let everyone know when you get money. Keep it to yourself for if they find out that you get much money from me, they will be apt to stop the pay on you. So the best way is to not let anyone know about it. Mind you don’t be in a hurry about getting your likeness taken although I would like to have it. I think that Pap has forgot that letter that he was a going to write to me. You said that George and Joel and Stir[ling] Sloan was going to enlist. I hope if they do that they will come here where I am, but they will see to it in time to get transferred here.

I have received 4 letters from you this month, the fifth one had $20 in it and the 13th I sent $20 in it. I got one from John and Cornelius, one from Sam, and one from Joseph Carason and one from Annie. That is all that I get this month and I have sent the same. I sent another paper. Vina, tell sis that them books is hers that I sent and here is a [ ] that one of the men made and I got it to send to her. Tell her that I want here to keep it till I come home. I don’t know whether you can read this or not. I am writing it with a new gold pen. So goodbye for this time. From Frederick Fogle

To Lovina and Betsy Jane Fogle.

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Letter 13

Hilton Head, South Carolina
March 3rd 1864

Dear wife,

I take the present opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and hoping that these few lines will find you enjoying the same blessing and all the rest of the folks. I thought that I would commence my letter in time. Night before last we was roused up about one o’clock but the alarm was a false one. There was a boat about a mile from here. Our men fired at them and they fired two shots at our men and then left and our picket heard the firings and they fired too and then it was fall out boys and we soon formed in line and was marched a little ways and was ordered to stop and the news came that everything was still. So I will close for this time.

Today is the 4th and I will write a little more. I will tell you [what] happened this afternoon. There was two negroes insulted a captain about a mile from here and they had 20 men after them and followed them in sight of our camp and they fired several times at some negroes and they scattered to the woods like wild sheep and our captain [John J. Baird] ordered twenty men to arrest the captain that was after the niggers and me and some more of our company went after them and our orders was to take him dead or alive. But when we found him, he was hunting for the niggers in the brush with a revolver in his hand. Our lieutenant told him and he give up and we took him to the road where our captain was and we went back to our camp. What the result will be, we don’t know. The captain’s name that was arrested was Kanarrh [Conner?]. So that is enough about this.

The mail boat has arrived but we haven’t got our mail yet. We will get it tomorrow and then I will finish my letter. So I will quit for tonight. So goodbye.

Today is the 5th and I will finish my letter. I received a letter from you stating that you got twenty dollars. I am glad to hear that you got it and you wrote that George and Joel had started to come here. There will be no trouble for them to get here if they manage it right. I wish that they would come here. I would like to see them. Vina, I have to go on guard [duty] tonight and I haven’t time to write much more this time but I will write once every week to you and I write so often that I can’t think of much to write.

Tell Sis that I haven’t anything to send her this time but I will send her something the next time. Vina, we didn’t get our 25 dollars that we was to get. I don’t know what is the reason. So goodbye for this time. From Frederick Fogle

To Betsy and Lovina Fogle. So goodbye for this time. Remains yours truly till death.

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Letter 14

Hilton Head
March 18th 1864

Dear wife,

I thought that I would write a few lines today for pastime. On the night of the 16th about three o’clock in the morning, there was five of the Company B fellows was captured. They camp[ed] about two miles from here but they belonged to the 76th Regiment. They was in a picket boat and the rebels and they fired into the rebels but there was so many rebels that they could not whip them. After our men fired, the rebels was so close to them that they hadn’t time to load their guns and they took their bayonets to it. The men that was on the shore could hear them fight and the groan but had no boat to go to help them and we don’t know whether they was killed or not.

Last night I was on guard and the other two companies was kept up from one o’clock till four in the morning. We expected an attack but there was none. We was called up the other night again for another mule fight. I didn’t hear whether they killed the mule or not this time so enough about this. I will finish my letter when the mail comes in. That will be in two or three days. So goodbye for this time.

19th. Last night we was called out between three and four o’clock in the morning and drilled some till the moon went down and then stacked arms and retired to our tents till daylight but wasn’t allowed to sleep till morning. But there was no attack last night. So goodbye on this side.

I wrote some this forenoon and I will write some more this afternoon. I received my pay this afternoon which was twenty-six dollars. This is the 19th day of March, 1864. So goodbye for this time.

Today is the 20th and I will write a little more to let you know what occurred this morning between four and five o’clock. This morning there was about 15 or 20 rebel boats could be heard rowing and we was double-quicked to where the boats was heard and when we got there, we could hear the boats not far off. We was ordered to fire on them and we fired about ten volleys at them. [paper torn]…know whether we hurt any of them or not but they skedaddled back in a hurry and didn’t fire any at us and if our gunboats had done as they were ordered, we might have captured all of them but I don’t think they will want to come back again for awhile. Our gun boats has been throwing shells over to them this morning to see how they liked them but they didn’t tell us whether they liked them or not. So enough about this. But I think if they keep carrying on this way, I will have a big letter this time if the mail boat don’t soon come in. But I can’t help it. So goodbye for this time.

21st. Last night I was on guard. There was [paper torn] but there [paper torn]…

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Letter 15

[Hilton Head, S. C.]
April 1st 1864

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you and all the rest of the folks well. I received two letters from you today and one from Sam. One of yours was wrote the 20th and one the 15th of March. Sam’s folks is all well.

There is not much going on here now and we have to still. get up at three o’clock every morning and stand guard every third night. But I think we will have it a little easier. The veterans that enlisted over has arrived today and one new recruit from Camp Copeland. But he said that he didn’t mind of hearing George’s name being called but he said that there was 27 in Camp Copeland and he thought that they would be here on the next boat.

Vina, I sent twenty dollars in the other letter that I sent you. You wanted to know if I had a gold pen. I hain’t got one yet but I have sent for one and it ought to been here today but did not come yet. But there is another mail in and maybe it will tomorrow. You wanted to know how often the mail comes in here. It only comes every seven days unless there is a gun boat comes in sometimes. They fetch a mail with them.

Tell Ann that I will write her a letter soon. I got a letter from Philip Robinson a few days ago and he was well at that time.

There was some cannonading yesterday. We could see the smoke of the cannon. Our men chased the rebs from their post and took some sabres and saddles from them and two of our men was wounded. I haven’t heard how dad [?] The New South will be printed tomorrow and if the scrape is in it, I will send you one. So I will quit till tomorrow as I have to go on guard tonight. Here is a little book for sis. Sis, tell mother to read this book to you and take good care of it till I come home.

Vina, there is corn up here and there has ben peas up for more than a month and the oats is green and nice here. Vina, you wanted me to get a furlough to come home. There is no use trying to get a furlough to come home. It is too far. You wanted me to get my likeness taken but it costs too much to get it taken when you have got it. I look just like I did—only I am a good deal fatter and my health is bully. It is better than it was at home and I want to save all the money that I can. Vina, tell Granny that I send my best respects to her hoping that she is well.

So I will close for this time. From Frederick Fogle

To Lovina Fogle. Remains your affectionate husband till death.

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Letter 16

Hilton Head, S. C.
April 12th 1864

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at present and hoping these few lines may find you and sis well and all the rest of the folks. The mail came today and I got a letter from you and was glad to hear that you was all well at that time. Vina, I got a letter today with my gold pen and silver holder, This is the first writing that I have done with it yet. It is a very delicate little pen and holder. I wouldn’t care if you had it to write with. It writes first rate but I can’t write today and I can’t think of much to write for I wrote the other day.

There is some talk of us going to the Potomac army but we can’t tell yet. I think that it is all talk. I hope so anyway for I would just as leave stay here unless they let me come home. That would suit me as well as anything and I hope that this spring will wind up this rebellion so I can come home.

I am sorry to hear of Henry Fogle’s losing his little girl but the old will die and the young must die. We have all got to die sooner or later and we ought to try to be prepared for that day that will come, we know not when. So enough about this.

I am sorry to hear of the death of Michesney. Goodbye on this side. I am glad to hear of the wedding of William Sloan hoping that he has got a fine woman and that they may live a happy life hoping that he may get safe home again to his wife.

Well Vina, I can’t think of any more to write this time so I will close for this time hoping that these few lines will find you and sis well. Vina, I didn’t make that picture of roses. I got one of our tent mates to make it for me to send to Sis. Vina, here is a ring that I made some time ago and I thought I would send in this letter for you. If it don’t fit you, you can give it to someone else or keep it, I don’t care. It is cracked but it will not break very easy if it don’t get broke going home.

So goobye for this time. From Frederick Fogle

To Lovina Fogle

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Letter 17

Hilton Head
April 13, 1864

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines…I sent a letter yesterday and last night we got orders to pack our knapsacks and be ready to march and I thought that I would write a few lines so if we go, I can send it to you. The rumor os that we are going to the Army of the Potomac and I suppose there is where we will go when we leave here. So enough for this time and if we go for sure, I will write more but that is the orders now.

I will write a little more. Today is the 15th and we haven’t gone yet but I got a letter from you today and I thought that I would finish this letter and send it to you. We are expecting every hour in the day to leave here and we don’t know what day we will leave nor what hour. We have to keep our knapsacks packed ready to leave at any time that we are ordered.

Vina, I am sorry to hear of the cows getting in [ ]. I would rather you spend all the money than to have the cattle get on [ ]. I am sorry to hear of father losing one of his cows after wintering them so near through. So enough about this. Vina, I want you to try to get the cows wintered through if you can and the horses and if I don’t get home again next winter you can sell them or give them away rather than to kill them and buy feed for them when feed is so dear. There is one of the men that tents with me has gone to get his discharge today. He was examined the other day and pronounced not fit for duty on the account of being hard of hearing.

So I will close for today. I got a letter from Polly today. Well, Vina, I will finish this and send it to you and when we go I will write some more and send it. But I suppose we go tomorrow and we may not go for two or three days yet. So I will close for this time as I can’t think of any more to write this time.

From Frederick Fogle to Betsy Jane Fogle

Yours truly till death, Vina, Goodbye.

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Letter 18

Hilton Head, South Carolina
April 18, 1864

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you and sis well and all the rest of the folks. Vina, I thought that I would write you a few lines to let you know that we are not gone from here yet but don’t know what hour we will start and I thought that I would write a letter and when we start, I will finish my letter as I have no news to write. There was two men that tried to desert from the Island three times and they ketched them a few days ago and yesterday they was shot at Hilton Head about six miles from here. So goodbye.

April 19th. Today is Tuesday and we are here yet but we had orders this morning to roll up our Zouave clothes to pack them up in a box. We had orders to not carry anything but one shirt to change and a pair of drawers to change and to take only the pants and blouse that we wear so I suppose we are going on a long march somewhere but we can’t tell anymore about where we will go anymore than you do. But when we start, I will write as often as I can. I have got plenty of paper and stamps and envelopes with me so goodbye for this time.

Today is the 20th and I thought that I would write a little more. We had orders last night that there was four hundred Rebs coming to attack us but they did not come so enough today. Goodbye.

Today is the 21st and we are here yet and don’t know how soon we will leave here. The mail come last night and I didn’t get any letter from you and so I thought that I would write this letter and send it. I got a letter from Hiram Stufflebeam and one from John and one from Riley and I got one that was sent to George. It was directed to Camp Copeland and Hilton Head both and I hardly know what to do with it—whether to keep it to see if he comes or to send it to Camp Copeland, but I will keep it a day or two to see if he don’t come. It was mailed the 5th of April—the same time Stufflebeam’s was.

Vina, I think your dad has had bad luck with his horses. John said that he had lost three and that young George had lost two. I think that feed must be scarce or there must be a bad disease amongst the horses there. Try and keep our horses from dying if you can. I have got eleven letters this month and I have wrote as many and it keeps my little gold pen in motion a good deal. I paid one dollar and a half for it and I have sold it for two dollars and I keep it to write with till payday.

So I will close hoping this may find you and sis and all the rest well. So goodbye for this time. From Frederick Fogle.

To Lovina Fogle. Yours truly till. death. Goodbye.

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Letter 19

[On Bermuda Hundred Front]
May 17, 1864

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you enjoying the same blessing and all the rest of the folks.

There is not much going on here—only a little fighting since last Monday. I have been in the fights and came out all right and George and Joel came out all right. Stirl [Sterling] Sloan got two toes shot off last Saturday so he got rid of the fight yesterday [see Battle of Drewry’s Bluff] but there was a good many killed and wounded. We was [with]in about six miles of Richmond yesterday but we fell [back] about three miles. But we intend to hold our position where we are now. We have heavy breastworks here and intend to hold them if we can and I think there ain’t much danger but what we can. There is a good many rebels coming in all the time. They say that we cut them down awful. So enough about this.

I haven’t had a letter from you since the 23rd of April. It seems long to wait for a letter but I hope I will get one soon to hear how you are getting along. But all I can say is to do the best you can. So goodbye for this time. From F. Fogle

To Lovina Fogle

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Letter 20

[Cold Harbor, Va.]
June 8th 1864

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you well and the children well. Vina, I got a letter from you today. I am glad to hear that you and the children was well at that time and George got one from father that was wrote to him and me. I am glad to hear that you have got so many [illegible] some corn too. I hope that you will have a good luck with them. Father wrote that he was going down to finish sewing oats. You didn’t write in your letter anything about them whether you was getting any sowed or not.

Vina, there is not much going on here—only a little fighting but that is nothing new for me now. We have been under fire for the last seven days ever since we made the charge and that [illegible]. We haven’t been fighting all this time but we are where the bullets and shell is passing occasional over us. Yesterday there was middling heavy cannonading but today is middling quiet with the exceptions of a few minie balls that is passing.

Vina, you said that I did not say anything about the boy. I don’t know what more I can say about him than I have wrote about him. I don’t know what more to say about him, only to [ ] all he can till he can come home and then I will help if I live to get home. So enough about this. You said that you was going to Mill town to get your likeness take to send to me. I wish you would. I would like to have them to see what you look like and now and then I could see the big farm boy and see what sis looks like by this time. Tell sis to send hers and Bub’s. You said that you wanted to know what you should call him. I wrote that I had no name in particular to name him so just name him what you please and that will suit me. So enough about this.

We are still at Cold Harbor yet. You said that you wanted me to write often. I think that I do write every three or four days lately. So goodbye on this side.

Vina, you say that I must write a long letter. I think that I do. When I write so often, I write all that I can think of and I think that is enough. Vina, tell father that I will write as soon as I can get some stamps. I have got but two when I send this letter. So I will close for this time. So goodbye for this time. From Frank Fogle

To Lovina Fogle.

Sis here is a new 5 cent piece for you and Bub. So goodbye to Betsy Jane Fogle. From her father.

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Letter 21

June 11th 1864

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you and the children well…. Vina, you wanted to know what we have to eat. I will tell you. We have hard tack and pork and some of the time fresh beef and plenty of coffee. That is what we have to eat most now. I would like to know what you have to eat to home. We have plenty, such as it is, and I want to know if you have enough.

Will Sloan was here yesterday. He said that he had got a letter from his wife the day before and he was well. Vina, write how much money you have got from Frank [ ] and if they have stopped in some till they send an order from the captain that they are in his company. So I will close for this time.

Today is the Sunday the 12th. There is not much going on here. We are laying in the rifle pits in the front. There is some cannonading going on and some rifle firing but not much. There is some talk of us leaving this tonight but we don’t know for sure.

Today I suppose Bub is two months old and I hope that he is well and you and sis too. So much for this time. So goodbye for today.

Today is the 13th and I will write a little more. We left where we was. We marched 12 miles last night. We are now at the White House Landing. So goodbye for this time.

Today is the 14th. We got on a boat this morning and come to Fortress Monroe and anchored there about two hours and then left. We are now going up the James River. When we land, I will finish. So goodbye for this time.

Today is the 15th of June 1864. We are now landed at Point of Rocks on the. Appomattox River handy the place where we was at Bermuda Hundred. So I will close. We can hear fighting going on now. I am well and so is George and Joel. So goodbye for this time. — Frederick Fogle to Lovina Fogle

Direct this way. Frederick Fogle, 18th Army Corps, 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Fortress Monroe, Va.

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Letter 22

June 17, 1864

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am and hoping that these few lines will find you and the children all well.

Yesterday we had a hard march expecting a fight but as good luck would, we didn’t have any. We have got news this morning our men has got the outer works of Petersburg and I expect the town by this time. Our men captured 15 pieces of cannon at Petersburg & seen 7 of them pass here this morning. So I will close for today to see if I don’t get a letter. I haven’t had one since the 31st.

Today is the 18th and I will write some more. I got a letter from you. that was wrote the 6th. I was glad to hear that you and the children was well at that time and hope that these few lines may find you all well. There was some of Bub’s hair in the letter that I got. you said that you had got your likeness took to send to me. I would like you would send it. I would like to see what you and the children looked like once more. If you wrap it up and direct it the way you do the letter, it will come to me safe as a letter.

We was called up last night to make a charge on some rifle pits but the order was countermanded and we weren’t sorry, you know, for if we had of charged, there might have been a good many of us lying cold on the field this morning. But as good luck would have it, we are all alive yet and well, George got a letter from home that had his post stamps in and there was a letter came for Stirl[ing] Sloan but we don’t know where to send them to write here to him for he ain’t in the company and we don’t know where he is. Joel wrote to him but hain’t never got no respinse.

Vina, I hain’t no news to write this time. You will have to do the best you can till I come home. I want you to write if you have paid Irie Copeland more than the ten dollars. So goodbye for this time. Write often. So goodbye. Yours truly till death. From Frederick Fogle

To Lovina Fogle.

Well sis, I have sent two letters and [ ] to send that money in them but always forgot to put it in for you and Bub but I will put it in this one. Sis, you must send me your likeness and Bub’s with yours and mothers. So goodbye for this time. To Besty Fogle from her father.

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Letter 23

In the field near Petersburg, Va.
July 27th 1864

Wife, I take my pen in hand to let let you know that I am well at present and hoping that those few lines will find you and the children all well. I received your kind letter today that was wrote the 18th of July and was glad to hear that you and the children was all well at that time. I wrote a letter the 25 so I will wait two or three days before I send this letter. I am sorry to hear that the oats and the pay ain’t going to be much but I hope that the corn and buckwheat and potatoes will be good so you will have something to live on so you can save all the money you can till I come home. You said that you was going to kill one of the cows. I think it is the best thing that you can do is to get rid of some of the things and not keep more than you have feed enough to keep right. Sis says that she wants me to come home and fetch her and Bub candy. Tell that I wish that I could come home and fetch her candy and tend Bob so she would be a good girl. But tell her to be a good girl, but tell her to be a gold girl anyway. Tell Polly that I wrote to her since I wrote for her to wait till I sent her one. I wrote her one the 5th of June and have been waiting for an answer.

I wish I was there to go to the raspberry bush it would suit me better than to be here. Write if you will have as much hay as you had last year or as much feed all together. So much for today. So goodbye for this time.

Today is the first day of August and I will finish my letter. The reason that I did not finish it soon er I was sick two days but I am well now. We left where we was in front of Petersburg. There was a charge made the day before we left but I was not in it. Joel was in it and got wounded. It was just a brush on the arm and on the side of the head but not to hurt him some. But he was sent to the hospital. We are now at [illegible].

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Letter 24

August 23, 1864

Dear Wife,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you and the children well. My wound is getting along well. It never has pained me any yet…We left the Hampton Hospital the 26th and got here yesterday, the 27th. We are on an island that is called Davids Island 20 miles from New York. up what they call East River from New York [City]. It is a very nice place here but I hope that they will send us to our own states. There was three hundred and thirty came on the boat here, most of them wounded men.

Well, Vina, I haven’t much to write this time so I will stop hoping that these few lines will find you all well. Tell Granny that I haven’t forgot her and hope that it won’t be long till I see her and hope that it won’t be long till I see her again. Tell father and mother that I send my best respects to the family so I will close for this time.

From Frederick Fogle to Mary L. Fogle. So goodbye for this time.

Write as soon as you get this so I will know how you are getting along. Send me two post stamps, not more than that, for here I don’t get them. Yours truly till death.

Direct your letter this way. — Frederick Fogle

DecAmp General Hospital, Davids Island, New York Harbor

Lovina, you needn’t write until you get another letter from me for I am going to leave here in a day or two.

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Letter 25

October 20, 1864
Satterlee U. S. A. General
Hospital West, Philadelphia, Pa.

Dear Wife,

I take the pleasure of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope that these few lines will find you and the children well and all the rest of the folks there ain’t much going on here. So I haven’t much to write this time but I want you to write all that is going on. Write whether you are going to get a house built or not and write whether you are going to have any buckwheat and write if you have any money to get things or how you do for things to live on. I don’t expect to get any pay for a month yet. I will be mustered for pay the last of this month if I stay here till after that time. Write whether you have heard anything about the land yet or not if church don’t take it by the time he promised to sell it to someone else. If you can unless he takes it and pays you for it so enough about this.

Tell Will to save me chestnuts to send to me after awhile. When I get my pay, I am going to have a box of things sent to me. So enough about this time. Write whether you are going to let pap have the horses or not. So I will close for this time. Here is old Abraham Lincoln. I will send so you can see him. From Frederick Fogle

To Mary Lovina Fogle. Goodbye.

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Letter 26

[Not transcribed—illegible]

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Letter 27

Satterlee USA General Hospital
West Philadelphia
January 10, 1865

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am going away tomorrow. I have been put in Ward W this afternoon. I put a letter in the office and a paper this forenoon. The talk is that we are going to Washington they say that we are going to be put in the first battalion of the Invalid Corps. So you hadn’t better write till you get a letter from me again. I don’t think that we will get our pay before we leave here but maybe we will. It is hard to tell.

So I will close for this time. From Frederick Fogle

To Lovina Fogle. So goodbye.

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Letter 28

[Near Petersburg, Va.]
April 10, 1865

Dear wife,

I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines will find you and the children all well. I haven’t had a letter from you for over a week but I got one from Polly and Fanny and one from Riley Saturday. They said that Samantha had the mumps. Fanny said that John was drafted and she said that he was going if he couldn’t get exempt. I don’t think if he goes that he will have to stay very long for Old Lee has surrendered all of his army and the rest might as well for Lee had most all of their army.

I was to City Point the other day and there was a lot of rebs came up with us on the boat. I was in four miles of where George was in the hospital at Point of Rocks, If I had thought that he was there yet, I should have got a pass and went and seen him but I have wrote three letters to him and ain’t got no answer so I didn’t know whether he was there or not.

I was at City Point from four o’clock one day till ten the next day. So enough about this. Polly said that if John went to the army, that Fanny was going to move to Waterford and she said that she wouldn’t go there. She said that she would come and live with me and you. She wanted me to write whether she might love with me or not. I hain’t wrote to her yet but when I do, I will tell her that it is just as you say about her coming to live with us. So you can do as you please about it. So write all you know about the place. So goodbye for today. I won’t finish till I see if I don’t get one from you today. I have just two postage stamps.

Well Vina, I have just received a letter from you and so I thought that I would finish my letter. Yours was wrote the 1st day of April. I am sorry to hear that sis has got the mumps but I hope that she will get along all right. Take good care of her. I don’t see why you don’t get more letters for I write once every week. Philip Robinson wrote some in this letter. He said that he hadn’t got the money yet for the place. He says that he guesses that Flemings will get that place of John’s, but he says that they say that they haint got anything to do with my 67 acres. Philip says that they said that they would go to Harrisburg and see if they couldn’t get the patent made off of the other one for me. Philip wanted to know what was best to go about it but I don’t know what is best to do about it. I don’t want to pay two or three for going and maybe not get it done. But you can do as you think best about it. I hope that the day ain’t far distant when I will get home. Write whether you have got money enough to use or not. If you ain’t, I will try and get my pay and if you have I will wait till I am mustered again. Then I will have [ ] months pay. Goodbye from Frederick Fogle