The following letter was written by Horace (“Hod”) Stiles (1828-1903) while serving as a sergeant in Co. G, 84th Pennsylvania Infantry. Horace was the son of Stephen H. Stiles (1802-1884) and Ruth Campbell (1804-1886). He was married to Harriet Jean Burlingham (1832-1871) in 1851 and was employed as a farm laborer in Shippen, McKean county, Pennsylvania, at the time of the 1860 US Census (though his muster rolls state he was a “lumberman”). The couple had two children at the time this letter was written in the summer of 1862—4 year-old Louis, and 2 year-old Willie.

Hod mustered into the 84th Pennsylvania in October 1861. A discharge date could not be found in his record but the 1890 Veterans Schedule indicates he served 1 year and 9 months. If this is the case, he must have obtained a disability discharge not long after this letter was penned.

Following his discharge from the service, Hod moved his family to Mentor, Clark county, Wisconsin where he became a hotel keeper.

Transcription

Camp in the Woods or 20 miles from Luray
and 35 miles from Gordonsville, Va.
June 5th [1862]

My dear wife and friends,

I take time to let you know how things wag with me. I am well and doing as well as I can to put down rebellion and take good care of myself and friends. General [James] Shields told us to help ourselves to such fixings as our appetites called for—pigs, honey, boots, cheese, shirts, potatoes, and continued. But we have some hardships to contend with. In the first place, we have marched a hundred and eight miles through mud, heat, rain and enemies on all sides. The rebels are making this their fighting ground. They have large forces here and so have we about here but you hear more about the war than I do but there is some things you don’t hear about.

I will let you know some things in our company. We had 79 men once in our company but now there ain’t only twenty in all. I will mention them you know—Capt. [James] Ingram, J[udson] Beers, [Herman] Morgan, H[enry] Stricklen, [Taggert] Culver, Sam Drew, Sile Wheaton, Welt [Nelson] Cutler, Fred Nickerbocker, and the rest is scattered for two hundred miles and over. But Web will be there soon and he can tell you a good deal. I am all the sergeant there is in our company now. We have had some little fighting here and do expect to have more for we take some prisoners most every day. I could see the rebel pickets last night about one hundred rods off but we weren’t allowed to shoot at them.

Hat, I can’t write often because we can’t get letter out. You must write as often as you can. You direct to Washington D. C. General Shields Division, 84th [Pennsylvania] Regiment, Co. G, and I will get them some time.

I don’t think the war will end very soon and I shall stick as long as I can stand it. I han’t saw Ton since I was there. He was in Winchester. I han’t been there. I am afraid he was taken prisoner there. I don’t know. I wish I did. You tell Merrick [Housler] how our company stands and tell him that sesh [secesh] Colonel has resigned and I ain’t sorry. Capt. Ingram is the same as he was only more so.

Hat, I want to see you and the babies more than I did before I came home. I want you to write how Andrew is—the poor fellow. It is awful to have the small pox. And tell me if it has spread or not and how much. I am anxious about you. I don’t know what you would do if you should get it and the children. You kiss the babies for me and tell Louis Pa will come home to see him as soon as he can [and] to be a good boy for Pa. Give my love and best wishes to all. Let father’s folks see this and be a good girl.

This is from Sergeant H. Stiles

To Harriet Stiles

You shall hear from me as often as I can find opportunity to write and get letters out.