DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Mann family papers, 1861-1865

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1862-05-12-Page 01

Mrs. Stewart S. Foster 
Route 2, Box 69 
Hamburg, Iowa  1862 
Camp of 4th Ia Cavalry 
Independence Co. Ark 
Monday May the 12th 
My dear friend 
We are encamped on a small Creek 4 miles from White river there is a beautiful little Town there which is called Batesvill Gen Curtis maks that his Headquarters at this time the most of the army is mooveing south there was ten regiments of infantry left here for Cape Girardeau on the Mississippi river they were commanded by Generals Ashboth and Davis. We will cross the river tomorrow at Batesvill. we are 15 miles from the Mo. line.  I have been traveling nearly all of the time since I wrote to you the 18th of March we went from Springfield to Baitsvill Mo a distance of 75 ml. we stayed there five days and then returned to Springfield there joined the Regt. a gain. we have been with it ever since except when we was scouting.  I was on one very hard scout of three day we took thirteen prisoners the most of them had been in the Southern Army and had been discharged. we went to them and took them out of their houses. I was very sorrow for one family we took the man just as he was starting to mill they were almost destitute of any thing to eat the poor woman cried and wanted to know what she must do if he never got back there was but 4 of us there I almost wanted to let him stay Wm. Murray was a long he stayed back after we started and told the woman we would not hurt her man. it is very hard to part with friends to go to the war but it is much worse to part with a friend who is a prisoner especialy a prisoner who has been guilty of treason

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Mrs. Stewart S. Foster Route 2, Box 69 Hamburg, Iowa 1862 Camp of 4th Ia Cavalry Independence Co. Ark Monday May the 12th My dear friend We are encamped on a small Creek 4 miles from White river there is a beautiful little Town there which is called Batesvill Gen Curtis maks that his Headquarters at this time the most of the army is mooveing south there was ten regiments of infantry left here for Cape Girardeau on the Mississippi river they were commanded by Generals Ashboth and Davis. We will cross the river tomorrow at Batesvill. we are 15 miles from the Mo. line. I have been traveling nearly all of the time since I wrote to you the 18th of March we went from Springfield to Baitsvill Mo a distance of 75 ml. we stayed there five days and then returned to Springfield there joined the Regt. a gain. we have been with it ever since except when we was scouting. I was on one very hard scout of three day we took thirteen prisoners the most of them had been in the Southern Army and had been discharged. we went to them and took them out of their houses. I was very sorrow for one family we took the man just as he was starting to mill they were almost destitute of any thing to eat the poor woman cried and wanted to know what she must do if he never got back there was but 4 of us there I almost wanted to let him stay Wm. Murray was a long he stayed back after we started and told the woman we would not hurt her man. it is very hard to part with friends to go to the war but it is much worse to part with a friend who is a prisoner especialy a prisoner who has been guilty of treason