Camp Mansfield
Oct 8th 1862

Dear Wife

I write you a few lines to let you know how we are getting along.  We got into camp about 10 AM, yeasterday our tent was not ready for us buth the carpenters were at work and had all ready by night our fare was rather hard
Yeasterday but we will have beter to day we are a going to try to come home a few days but it is some doubtful, I don’t think that we will be examined for a week, the prospect for substitutes is not verry good  they are verry high.  There was a great many came in yeasturday I have heard of no trouble yet I helped cook dinner for over 100 men the wind blew and smoked so that it was a hard job, but I slept verry well for me,  breakfast is about rready  I shl have to close I will write more in a few days, if you should write within a few days direct to Camp Mansfield Ohio in the care of Captain Conard of the Morrow Co Malisha  I will write in a few days more particulars this from your husband

Sam Corwin
 
 

Franklin Tenn  Feb 16th 1863

Dear wife and children. It has been som time since I received any new from you we left Nashville camp last Thursday morning at sunrise there was five Regts of us and six pieces of canon,  when we got within three miles of Franklin we that there was a force of rebels in the town our Regt was sent forward  on double quick as we reached the river bank they were leaveing as fast as possible the Colonel plunged into the river and said  Come on Boys and they plunged into the water was up to ther hips they went through safe fired a few shots and they were gone no one hurt, the next night they attacked our pickets about 5 oclock in the afternoon we were out in line of battle in about 10 minutes we stood til after dark we then returned to our quarters and lay by our guns all night but was not disturbed, our Regt is quarted in a large brick building it has been used for a seminary.

 I have just come in from picket we went out yeasturday morning at daylight was out all day and night, they are mostly secesh here, we fare well for provision, I cant tell how long we will stay here we expect to go to Muffresburough, this is splendid Country  we are in what is called middle Tenn  write soon , I am well and hope to here soon that you are all well and enjoying the comforts of life.   This from your husband
Samuel Corwin

Direct to
Samuel Corwin
Co E  125 Regt OVI
10th Division 34 Brigade
Franklin Tenn
 
 

Franklin Tenn

March 15th 1863

Dear Wife and children

I write you a few lines this pleasant Sunday afternoon, I am out on picket we came out last evening and will be relieved this evening, It is a verry warm pleasant day, it is warm as the finest days in May in Ohio, we will move across the river this evening about one mile from where we are now quarted, I will tell you how things are going here, the most of the slaves have left their masters  and come to the army,  we have over one hundred of them with us they are at work on briges and forts each company has 2 or 3 for cooks, where we find a man that has horses plows corn hams of which they mostly have plenty or had when we first came here but it is getting a little scarce now,

We have a great many horsses and mules to feed and the corn has to suffer, when we buy anything we have to pay high, corn meal $1,50, pr bushel, Butter 50 cts, milk 8 cts a pint chees 50 cts pr lb, BC,  the fences in the town and the farms are nearly all burned we use no wood but rails and 20 or 30,000 men can use some wood, when we went on our march last week to Columbia  wherever we stoped the rails were burned for miles, hams and bacon were taken by the hundred  we made the people along the road keep us, well you may think that this looks hard but it is the only way to subdue them and besides it needs a united North, I fear there is a great division in the north if the north resist the next draft as I hear they are going to do we will see times such as we never saw before, the prospect for peace looks darker to me than ever

We have now moved out into camp in our tents, we expect to be paid of in a few days if we are I shal send you some money, tell Alph I want him to write to me, I wrote  to him sometime ago, I have sent you a paper that is printed by our Regt, and one to Harrison Struble, write how you are getting along for money and provisions, if I can know that you have plenty I can feel better satisfied, write soon, Direct as usual
This from your husband
Samuel Corwin

Keep us good cheer
My love is ever with you
Camp  near Franklin Tenn  March 28th 1863

Dear wife and children

I write you a few lines to let you know that I am well hopeing these few lines will find you all well, we have just come in of of picket, our whole regiment started yeasturday morning at daylight and went out one mile and a half and stood picket till this morning we have a verry wet time it commenced raining in the afternoon and continued all night, it rained verry hard during the night, we got verry wet, our blankets were wringing wet, but those of us that had rubber blankets done the best, I have good one, the rebels made a raid last Wednesday at a place called Bentwood, on the railroad between here and Nashville and tore up the track, and took some of our men prisoners, we had but a small force there, they did not get the train, but we have had no mail since, but I think the train  will run through again in a few days, by the way things looks here now, I think we will stay here sometime, there is a good many sick and a number being discharged, we are still fortifying for this is a verry important place if we hold this place the rebels has a poor chance in this part of Tenn, our cavalry bring in some prisoners most evry day, I think from the way the prisoners talk that the rebs are getting tired of the war, I fell yet that there will be something done before long that will close the war, at least I hope so, I saw Abner Berry and Dave Brees the other day they wer well, Warner hayden is not verry well, Nort Scott is not well, I don’t wey as heavy as I did when I was last home

Although I have my health as good as when I was home, my back has not hurt me any since I have been in the army, we have got no money yet and no prospects of any verry soon you will have to call on Alph or Manly when you need money don’t suffer for thing that you need as long as you can get money  I was in hops that I should get some pay before you get out of money  you had, I know you cant have much if any by this time, but when you need tell them and I think you will get some, I received your letter with the stamps all safe, you ned not send anymore unless I write for them, the boys are eating dinner they have coffee, crackers, pork and beans, I am not hungry for dinner.   Last night I bought some corn bread of a Negro woman and got a canteen full of milk this morning  so I am feasting to day, well I must close write soon so that I may know how you are getting along, this from your husband
Samuel Corwin

March 30th
 I will finish my letter now, when I wrote it I thought I would send it that day, but I thought I would wait till I heard from you, so I have just received your letter of the 24th- I was glad to hear that you was well, I think you have done well in in the sugar line, as for washing we get along well we boil our clothes and make them clean, Marshal has come to his Regt he came yeasturday,  I saw him last evening he is well, it has been quite cold here for three days, all is quiet here at present, write often for you don’t know how much good it does a soldier to hear from home,  Samuel Corwin
 
 

Franklin Tenn     April 4th 1863

Dear Wife and children,

As this is Saturday the day for washing and I having done earlyer in the week I have some to    I will write you a few lines, I am well and harty hopeing this letter will find you all well and doing well.  There are some sick in our regt but it is considered a healthy regt, where there are so many together  and exposed as much as soldiers have to be we must expect some to be sick, although thare are a great many that don’t take much care of themselves of course such will be sick,  I was over to see Marshall  and Abner berry last evening there  camp is about one hundred rods from ours so that we can see each other every few days, they are both well  our Brigade is under command of Brigadier General Gilbert, our division is under command of Major General Granger, we are on the left wing  of Rosacrans army, I need not tell you the war news for you get it in your paper we get the same papers that you take almost evry day here in the army  I have been reading one this morning, it has been quite cold for a few days for this part of the country, to morrow wil be Easter but I think eggs will be scarse, the Boys are doing their washing we have tubs washbords kettles and plenty of soap we boil our clothes well to keep of the greyback, as this the day for washing we have no drill till 4, oclock by that time the boys will have their work done well I will tell you a little about our camp and the duties we have to do, then you can juge whether a lazy  man would make a good soldier or not, well the first in the morning the bugle sounds and the drums beat the revalee at five oclock, am, then evry one has to be in rank, in about five minutes, for roll call, as soon as roll call is over we are marched out on the parade ground form the Regt in line and stack arms (which are left there intill 9, oclock am,)  when arms ar stacked  we ar dismised to arange our tent, an eat breakfast which is ready about 6, oclock, breakfast over the next work is to shake our blanket, sweep our tents and the ground between our tents and the parade ground  this work has to be done evry morning when the wether will permit, the men detailed for fatique such as work on the fortifycations have to be reported to headquarters at 6 ½  oclock am which duty some of the sergeants has to do; at 8, oclock a,m, the men for picket have to be reported to headquarters wih all their accoterments blankets haversacks canteens with one days rations in them and that cooked for they are not allowed to have fire on picket day or night, it takes one tenth of each Co evry day for picket from each Regt in the Brigade, and one Regt of the Brgade besides are all out one day, it will fall to ours to go to morrowso you will se we ar well guarded against surprise;  wll next come the camps guards which are mounted at 9 oclock, am, but tyey are few at present all these details that has to be made the sergeants has to do.  It is the duty of the first if he is there if he is sick or absent the second and so on I often have these duties to do, and march them to head quarters,
Then comes company drill for one hour and a half then we come in an prepare for dinner our cooks have dinner at half past 11 oclock, we each one have a plate, tin cup knife fork spoon which we have to take care of and kep them in our haversacks, we have one man detailed for chief cook and two negros to help him, when dinner is ready evry man grabs his plate and cup and starts for the cook the cook deals out to evry one his meat Bean coffee SB we then go to our tent and sit down on a knapsack set our plate on the ground and cup of coffee to between our feet and there we take our haversack take one little sack of sugar which is dealt out to us by the spoon full and sweetten our our coffee take a cracker and go to eating, din over then another hours drill, then at 4 oclock  PM, Battalion drill for one hour then dress parade then supper at 6, oclock, tghen we have till 8 oclock to talk and play then comes roll call that over then arange our bed which is compoesed of the following materials, an arm full of cedar tip brush a ruber blanket a knapsack for a pillow, and a blanket over you sleep with clothes on, half past 8 the bugle sounds for lights out which has to be obeyed, then we lay down to sleep  and dream of the loved ones at hom, I have wrote a goodeal I will now quit a while for I hear the cars comeing
and  I may get a letter, after the mail comes in to camp I wil finish my letter,
well the mail has come and no news for me so I will finish my letter, the paymastercame in on the train to day, tyey say he has money to pay us but I cant hadly believe it yet, but I hope it may be so for we need some money, If I should be paid of, I shal send the most of it home to you.  You wrote that you thought I had more comeing, the month that I was with the drafted me I will not receive pay for now, and I only draw 17 dollars pr month since I was apointed sergeant that will count from the 17th of Dec  from the time I inlisted which was the 11th of Nov, up to the 17th of Dec, I will draw 13 dollars pr month, the bounty money I will not get untill my time is out, except the 2.5 dolars which I got while we were at Cleveland, so there will be due me up to the first of March about 65 dollars, well I must close; I would like to have that meadow to cut again if you think you can get hands to cut it you will need the feed for winter I wish you would see Alph about it and have him make some arangements about it, but do as you think best about it, this from your husband     Samuel Corwin
 
 

to Sarah Corwin & Children

Franklin Tenn April 11th 1863

Dear wife  I write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and safe.  I expect before you get this letter you will read in your paper about the battle we had here yeasturday the rebs thought they would drive us out of here or take us, they did not do either, we drove them back so that we hav not heard from them yet to day it is not 2 oclock P.M.  I did not get a shot at them, but I could see plenty of it, we lost but few men, the fighting was mostly by the cavalry our Regt was out on the battle ground all night, go back to camp about 8 oclock A.M.  this morning, we took a good many prisoners and killed a large number of rebels.  I will but little so you may know I am safe yet.  Write soon.   Samuel Corwin

I received your letter with the stamps all safe  we expect to be paid in a few days, they must go to fighting  up North for it will make it the harder for us down here, but the way to to stop the war now is to to take all from them that we can.  They beginning to be hard run for something to live on, well be of good cheer for there is better days comeing   your husband
Samuel Corwin
Sarah Corwin
 

Franklin Tenn April 12th 1863

Dear wife and children  I wrote you a letter yeasturday but for fear you don’t get it I will write you another to day, we had 2 small battle, the fighting was mostly done by the cavalry, our whole force was in all in motion, our regiment was was on hand for their share of the work, we was first ordered to the fort  we stood there about one hour where we could see the fight, our big siege guns played the shell, among them so hot they could not stand the music, we soon learned  their main force was comeing in our rear, we were then orded to meet them, ours and two other regt and two cavalry started for them with two pieces of canon

On our way we met the cavalry comeing  in with some 30 prisoners, we went on double quick about four miles to the battle ground our regt took the lead when we near the place of battle we saw several wounded but they did not murmur, when we got there we found that General Stanly had been sent from Muffreyoburous with his cavalry me them before we got there and had a hard fight with them drove them back, it was then sundown, we then  stacked arms and prepared for staying all night, we eat dinner before we left our camp.  We did not take our blankets nor anything to eat. So we gathered up some leaves by a large tree laid down and sept sweetly til morning.

About 8 oclock in the morning other regt came out and we went back to camp and was able to eat a harty breakfast all ahs been quiet ever since we all stood the trip well, the rebs seem to be afraid of the 125th for they always runnin when we go for them, the prisoners are hard looking fellows they are raged greasy dirty looking scamps, you will get all the nuse in the papers, we had a hard rain last night, but to day it is verry warm, it is Sunday we have no drill to day we expect to be paid of to day or tomorrow, if we are I shal send the most of mine home for I expect you need some money

I saw Marshall this morning, he is well, Abner is well, I think Dave Breece is better  I see him every few days, tell evry one to do all he to put down this rebellion they must not resist the draft if they do it will encourage the South  and place us between two fires, this way to whip them is to take evry thing from them they   ----  not raise much in this part of the country this year and that is the way to put them although it looks hard, but they have no sympathy for us, well I must close, this from your husband,

Samuel Corwin
Sarah Corwin
 
 

Camp near Franklin Tenn
April 15th 1863

Dear Wife  I write you to let you know that I am well hopeing these few lines will find you all well, it has ben raining the most of the time for 24 hours and is raining yet, we were paid last evening up to the first of March  I received fifty five dollars and ninety cents, I will send you forty dollars, I will send it by the state agent he will take the money to Mt Gilead and put in the the County Treasure, this receipt which you will find enclosed in this letter you will take  and present to the County treasurer, and he will pay you the money on it, be careful to not lose the recipt, when you get the money you will have to sign your name to the receipt, get Alph or some one to go with you, I cant tell how soon the money will be there ready for you, it may be there by the time you get this letter, and it may not but it will not be long,

I think this is the safest way to send money home, I would send you more but I find I ned some money to use, you will make use of the money as you see proper  I don’t expect we will draw any more for some time although we may draw in may next, all is quiet here now and are having verry good times, I think we will stay here for some time, I have received all the stamps you sent me you need not send anymore for some time, perhaps you had beter get Manly to help you get your money but do as you see proper, any of the neighbors will assist you I think willingly,

Tell the neighbors to write to me, give my respects to all the friends, Marshall and Abner are both well, write soon so that I may know that you get the money, I have my health verry good better than I expected   this from your husband
Samuel Corwin
To Sarah Corwin and children

I understand that when this money is paid into the County treasure it will be published in the county papers, I suppose some of the neighbors take a county paper, I think that you will not have much trouble in getting the money, there is a good many of the boys sending their money home the same way, the boys must do all they can to make a living, I think from the way you have wrote that you have go along verry well, but perhaps you have not wrote the worst to me  don’t deceive me for I want to know the worst, I will do the same by you, write often as you can for I should love to hear from you evry day,
Samuel Corwin
To Sarah Corwin and Children,