These letters were written by George Washington Sefton (1841-1918), the son of Henry Sefton (1808-1878) and Sarah Brown (1812-1843) of Decatur county, Indiana. George’s siblings included Preserve Oliver Sefton (1834-1907), William Sefton (1836-1900), Jane Sefton (1838-1850), Elizabeth Sefton (1839-1848), and John H. Sefton (1843-1862).
The following historical sketch comes from the “History of Decatur County, Indiana” by Lewis A. Harding, Published by B. F. Bowen & Company, Indianapolis, Indiana in 1915.
“George W. Sefton, a retired farmer of Greensburg, Indiana, is one of those men, who, at the first call for volunteers at the breaking out of the Civil War, enlisted on 13 September 1861 in Co. E, Seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, a reorganized regiment, and served for three years, mustering out 20 September 1864. In many hard fought battles of the war, the only discomfiture he suffered, excepting the privations and hardships in the military service, was an attack of the measles. His younger brother, John, died of the measles on 5 February 1862 at Cumberland, Maryland, while serving in the same regiment. Attached to the First Brigade of the First Division of the First and Fifth Army Corps, Mr. Sefton contracted rheumatism as early as January, 1862, and was confined in the hospital at Cumberland, Maryland, on account of measles. After his recovery, he brought his brother’s body home and then rejoined his command at Winchester, Virginia. He was discharged at Indianapolis on September 20, 1864. During his services, he was engaged in the battles of Greenbrier, Winchester, Bull Run, Frederickburg, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Mine Run, Wilderness Campaign of 1864, Port Republic, Siege of Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Antietam, South Mountain, Chancellorsville and many others.”
George Sefton was “married three times, the first time on October 1, 1866 to Julia Lanham, who was born in 1843 and who was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Lanham. She died in 1869, leaving two children, Monnett O., born on September 5, 1867, who lives in Rush county, and Julia E., on June 27, 1869, who married John Frank Deem, of Adams township. By his second marriage, April 25, 1871, to Elizabeth Brock, who died in 1875, there were two children, Mrs. Emma M. Brown, of Indianapolis, who was born on May 4, 1872, and Mrs. Mary E. Walker, of Newpoint, on October 7 1873. By his third marriage to Harriett Weed, September 19, 1876 one child, Mrs. Stella Waters, of Indianapolis, was born on September 18, 1878.”
Letter 1
[Greensburg, Indiana]
April 8th 1857
Dear Brother,
I take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that we are all well at present but Mother. She is not well. We have a fine girl at our house and I want you to come out and see it. But I hope these few lines may find you enjoying in the same like blessing.
I received your letter the 23rd of March and was glad to hear that you was well. We have made ninety pounds and ten gallons of molasses and I am going to school to Mr. Coseit yet and I am getting along fine and I ain’t had no difficulty. And I am getting along in arithmetic but I don’t expect to go very much longer. And after corn planting, I want to come out so I can get off. But I want you to come out as soon as you can and I don’t reckon you heard that John Harrel’s wife is dead. She died last Sunday night at two o’clock.
I have been to one cornhusking since I wrote the last time and we have about five or six pounds of sugar—that is syrup. If you will come out, you may have as much as you can eat. No more at present. I give my best respect to you all.
From George W. Sefton to Preserve O. Sefton
Letter 2
[Williamstown, Clinton township, Decatur county, Indiana]
July 25, 1860
Dear Brother,
I take this present opportunity of informing you we are all well now. Mary had the flux and died with it. I hope these few lines may find you enjoying good health.
We have got our harvest up. We have out wheat stacked. Our corn is good. But we have had a hard wind and rain last week and it blowed a heap of our corn down.
I haven’t heard from Mr. Draper’s folks for about three weeks. They was all well then. I am a going to town tomorrow. I want you to write as soon as you get this and tell us how you are a getting along and all the girls.
So no more at present. From George W. Sefton
To Preserve O. Sefton
Letter 3
The following poem is attributed to Caroline Atherton Briggs Mason and first published in the Salem Register in 1844. Her subject was the anxiety she felt being away at boarding school. It was later set to music and became popular during the Civil War as soldiers dreamed of loved ones at home.
Do they miss me at home, do they miss me?
‘T would be an assurance most dear
To know that this moment some loved one
Was saying, “Oh, were she but here!”
To know that the group at the fireside
Were thinking of me as I roam,—
Oh yes, ‘t would be joy beyond measure,
To know that they missed me at home!
When twilight approaches,—the season
That ever was sacred to song,—
Does some one repeat my name over,
And sigh that I tarry so long?
And is there a chord in the music
That’s missed when my voice is away?
And a chord in each heart that awaketh
Regret at my wearisome stay?
Do they place me a chair near the table
When evening’s home-pleasures are nigh,
And candles are lit in the parlor,
And stars in the calm azure sky?
And when the good-nights are repeated,
Does each the dear memory keep,
And think of the absent, and waft me
A whispered “Good-night” ere they sleep?
Do they miss me at home, do they miss me,
At morning, at noon and at night?
And lingers one gloomy shade round them
That only my presence can light?
Are joys less invitingly welcomed,
And pleasures less dear than before,
Because one is missed from the circle,—
Because I am with them no more?
Oh yes—they do miss me! Kind voices
Are calling me back as I roam,
And eyes have grown weary with weeping,
And watch but to welcome me home!
Sweet friends, ye shall wait me no longer,
No longer I ‘ll linger behind;
For how can I tarry, while followed
By watchings and pleadings so kind?
The following transcript of the poem was made by George Washington Sefton. He dated it January 21, 1861 but he may actually have copied this on January 21, 1862 when he was in the 7th Indiana Infantry and far from home.
Letter 4
[Decatur county, Indiana]
April 23, 1861
Mr. Preserve Sefton, Dear Sir,
I take this present opportunity to inform you that we are all well at present and hoping these few lines may find you enjoying the same like blessing. I would like to see you all very well for you need not think any ways hard if you never see me again. We may all have to go to war.
Well I must tell you what I am doing. I am plowing. I think if nothing happens that I will get done this week. We are a going to have an exhibition next Saturday night. We expect a grand time.
Tell Hat that High and John is gone to war. I haven’t got time to write much. Write as soon as you get this and tell me all the news. So no more at present. Oh yes! Tell Eb to send me that song, “I am small and she is tall.”
From G. W. Sefton
To Preserve O. Sefton
I will give you this to write your letter on for fear you have not got any.
Letter 5
In the following letter, George describes the fatiguing march over the mountains from Camp Elk Water to Cheat Mountain Summit, a distance of ten miles. All of this long march was done in a terible rain and sleet storm upon Cheat Mountain Summit, during which the troops had no tents or other shelter. The storm commenced on the evening of the 26th of September 1861 and continued for 48 consecutive hours. With no time to recuperate, the men fought in the Battle of Greenbrier River on Oct, 3th and 4th of 1861.
Camp Elkwater
October 21st 1861
Dear brother [Preserve] and [his] wife,
I take this present opportunity of informing you that I am well at present and hoping that these few lines may find you enjoying good health. I received your letter yesterday and was glad to hear that you was well at present.
Well P., I would like to see you all very well. You said you wanted to know how [brother] John and I was a getting along. We are enjoying ourselves first rate and if we had anything to eat, we have plenty. So far it is not as good as we get at home but I am getting fat on it.
I suppose you have heard that the 7th Regiment has been in one battle. If you ain’t, I will give you a description of it. The 3rd day of this month we was in a battle at Greenbriar about thirty miles from our camp. We started Wednesday evening. We marched till sundown and stopped for the night and at twelve o’clock we had orders to gather up and march in order to get there in the morning. It rained on us considerable that [night] but we did not care for that.
About 9 in the morning we reached their camp. When we was [with]in about three miles of the camp, we double quicked from there to [the] battleground. The firing was kept up for three long hours. Their camp laid in the valley. It extended about 80 rods (~450 yards) in width and about the same in length. Their masked battery was on the side of the mountain. We marched up in the front of them. We undertook to flank them on the left of them under their fire which appeared to me like they might have cut us all to pieces. We was right in front of their cannons. The grapeshot just hailed round. It got so heavy that our old Colonel [Ebenezer Dumont] ordered us to take to the bushes for shelter which we obeyed. We stayed on the side of the side of the mountain for a half an hour. We being not drilled very well, we got scattered right smart but rallied and retreated under the fire without the loss of any man so that is all the particulars at the present. 1
I got a letter from home yesterday and they was well and you said you was there not long ago. I wish I could have been there. We could [have] had a good time.
I got a letter last Friday and they was all well. So no more for this time. Write as soon as you get this and tell me all the news and how the girls is a getting along. Tell them not to get discouraged for I am a coming back sometime if nothing happens.
Direct your letter to Hittonville, Co. E, 7th Regt. Indiana Volunteers in care of Capt. Grove
From George W. Sefton
to Preserve Sefton
1 Another soldier in Co. B named John V. Hadley described the days fight in a letter from Elkwater, Va. on 25 October 1861: “At midnight we were up & on our march for Greenbriar—a distance of 15 miles. We marched it through mud & rain, went double quick four miles, fought six hours, and returned to Camp Kimball all in one day.” In response to charges a Cincinnati newspaper correspondent that the 7th skedaddled during the Battle of Greenbriar River he wrote, “I hope the country did not believe it. I have but a few words to [say] in regard to it. But I want you to understand that I emphatically deny the charge. I say that any man who will so shamefully misrepresent Soldiers, fellow soldiers—raw recruits without any experience either in drilling or marching—I say that any Northern man who will treat men fighting for his own interests in this manner is too mean to command the sympathies of Angels, or the admiration of Devils…” [An Indiana Soldier in Love and War: The Civil War Letters of John V. Hadley by James I. Robertson and Jane Hadley Comer]
Letter 6
Randolph County, Virginia
November 14th 1861
Dear Brother,
I take this present opportunity of informing you that I am well at present and hoping when these few lines come to hand, they will find you enjoying good health. I received your letter today and was glad to hear that you was all well.
Well P., I would like to see you all once more but I expect it will be a good while before we will see each other again. Well P., I expect we will winter here. We are cutting down [trees] now. We will have enough cut in another day or two. You said you wanted me when I came home to come and see you. Well of course I will when I come but I don’t expect to come very soon. I don’t know when I will come home before the war is over for I don’t think it will last longer than the first of May. Anyway I hope it won’t. You think that I am tired of war when I enlisted? I enlisted for the war and I expect to stay till the last hog is shot if nothing happens. I am fighting for our country and expect to till I am taken down.
We are doing fine here. We have plenty to eat—such as it is—and it does first rate. Well P., when you write, tell me all of the particulars and how they are getting along down below if you please and I will do the same.
Well P., I got a letter from Wash today and they was all well and would like to see us very well. He says that Hat’s pretty near done getting corn…But I expect I will before next fall if nothing happens and all your [ ] which I expect. Well be no more for this time as it is getting late and I am a getting sleepy. Write t me soon. But I still remain your true and affectionate brother,
George W. Sefton, Co. E, 7th Ind. Volunteers, Huttonsville, Virginia
Letter 7
Springfield, Hanover county, Virginia
December 29th 1861
Dear Brother,
I take this present opportunity of informing you that I am well at present and hoping these few lines may find you enjoying he same like blessing. John is well.
Well P., I am some further from home than I was but that makes no difference. I am just as well satisfied where I am now as I ever was. But still I would like to see you all very well. But I expect it will be some time before we see each other. Maybe I will come home this winter and maybe not.
Well P., you said that Henry and Martha is married. Well, I say Bully for them. I hope them good success….and more than that Gatter and Miss [ ]. Well that beats thunder. I believe that my chance is slim. Well I don’t care for any of them. I all alright. I am under Uncle Sam now and expect to [be] till this war is over and that is all for this time.
Write soon and tell me all of the news if you please. Well P., I like to forgot one thting and that is this, tell me how they are doing down near C___ if you please. I believe that is all.
Direct your letters to Springfield, Virginia
Co. E, 7th Reg. Indiana Volunteers
— G. W. Sefton
Letter 8
Patterson’s Creek, Virginia
January 12, 1862
Dear Brother,
I take this present opportunity of informing you that I am well at present and hoping these few lines may find you enjoying good health. I received your letter this morning and was glad to hear that you was well at present. I would be glad to see you at this time but I expect it will be some time before we see each other again.
Well P., I have nothing of importance to write to you this morning. But I will try to interest you a little if I can. Well at first you know that we have left Springfield and have stationed ourselves at the mouth of Patterson’s Creek which empties in the North Branch of the Potomac River and here we remain awaiting further orders and right on the railroad eight miles from Cumberland—that is in Maryland—and maybe we will go there when we move again. I don’t expect we will stay where we are very long.
There was two regiments left here yesterday. There is twelve regiments here yet and are good for any of them. We thought we would have a little fight the other day but we did not. That was a disappointment. So no more on that subject.
Well P., we have a bully time out here in this wooden country about six hundred and fifty miles from home. I tell you what is the fact—if all of the towns and places, Virginia beats all of them. If I get out of Virginia, I don’t think I will ever go back there again. So no more for this time. Write soon and tell me all of the particulars. Direct to Co. E, 7th Regiment Indiana Volunteers. That is enough to put on the back of your letter.
— G. W. Sefton
Letter 9
Camp Kelley [Cumberland, Maryland]
February 5, 1862
Dear Brother,
I again seat myself to write you a few lines in answer to your letter which I received the other day and was glad to hear that you was all well at present. I am only tolerable well at this time. I have had the measles. [Brother] John has got them now very bad but I think he is a little better this morning. 1
Well P., I would like to see you very well. At this time I suppose you are having a big time, ain’t you? If I was [there], I know I would. I got a letter from [ ] last week and it was something and I got one from Hat too but I ain’t a going to tell you how it was. It was bully anyhow. All of the youngsters is getting along [ ]. They think that they had [better] pitch in while times is good for them now. When the Old Seventh Boys gets back, they will have to stand back. Well no more of that stuff.
Well P., our regiment left last night for a fight a Romney, I guess. I don’t know where they did go to, to tell the truth about it. But I just suppose that was where they was a going. I will know in a day or two if nothing happens and I will write and tell you how they came out.
John and myself is at the hospital at Cumberland, Md. and when he gets well, I am coming home if I can get a furlough. I think I can. But although they are pretty strict now. A fella can’t get to go whenever he says the word. But I think I can as I have been sick. Well P., I don’t think this war is a going to last very much longer. The secesh is disbanding their troops and sending them home and more than that, the South has raised a rebellion against Jeff Davis and that is what makes me think it won’t be long til it is settled.
So no more. Write soon. Direct your letter to Cumberland, Maryland.
— G. W. Sefton
1 According to regimental records, John Sefton died on 5 February 1862 at Cumberland Hospital.
Letter 10
Camp Shields
March 18, 1862
Mr. P. Sefton,
Dear Brother,
I take this present opportunity of informing you that I am well at present and hoping these few lines may find you all well at present. I got to the regiment yesterday evening and found the Boys all well and enjoying themselves first rate and this morning our Brigade started on a march from some place and I don’t know where. I did not go as I had not got my gun yet. The gun that was left in the company was stolen by some means or other.
Well P., I must tell you how we got through. We left Indianapolis on Tuesday evening at 1 o’clock and that night between ten and eleven o’clock we run off the track on the other side of Richmond, Indiana, but there was no one hurt. But it detained us. We did not get away from there till next morning 9 o’clock & that night we stayed in Belair & the morning following we got on board of the cars and that evening found us in Cumberland & there we stayed till next evening two o’clock [when] we started for our regiment where we arrived on Monday evening.
We found them 4 miles this side of Winchester in a nice country [compared] to what we have been in The prettiest place I saw [on the way] was in Martinsburg. It was a graveyard. It is the nicest situated I ever saw. There is about three acres in the lot and it is set full of trees and laid off in lots and walks all over it and it is on a high piece of ground, It rolls off ever way from it.
So I believe that is all I have to tell you. Give my respects to all of the friends. Tell Weavers that I would have tried to have seen them but had not time, So no more for this time. Write soon. Direct your letters to Martinsburg via, — G. W. Lefton
Letter 11
[5 Miles south from New Market, Virginia]
May 6th 1862
Dear Brother,
I again seat myself this pleasant opportunity of a writing you a few lines in answer to yours which I received yesterday and was glad to hear that you was all well. I am well at the present and hoping these few lines may find you all well.
Well P., you said you had a little dispute about our General. Well, I guess I can decide the Third Brigade General Tyler and General Shields Division and more than that was looking for a little from here respect. We will have a fight here in a few days. I understood that they evacuated Yorktown and they are coming through this way to reinforce Old Jackson, I think. When they get through this way, they will have a good time. We are encamped 5 and a half miles beyond New Market, Via. We have a position that we can hold a pretty large force if they come.
Our wagon master got shot the other night by our pickets. The halted him but I suppose that he did not hear him and they fired away and shot him through the breast but did not kill him. So no more on that subject.
Well P., we are in a nice country and some as nice dwellings as I ever saw. Tell the girls that I am alright and well satisfied and more than that, I think it won’t be long till we will see each other again. So I believe that is all that I will write this time. So no more. Write soon and direct to New Market.
— G. W. Lefton
Letter 12
Camp near Falls Church, Virginia
September 5, 1862
Mr. Preserve Sefton
Dear brother,
With pleasure I seat myself to write you a few lines in answer to yours which I received the other day and was glad to hear that you was all well. I am well at present and hoping these few lines may find you enjoying good health.
Well P., we have been having a pretty hard time for the last three weeks. We have had a pretty hard fight. Our regiment has been under fire twice but did not lose many. Patterson was wounded and is supposed to be taken prisoner. I don’t suppose that you know he was in the service. William Miller has enlisted and is now in our regiment.
Well you wanted to know if A. D. Springer had not got back to the regiment. Yes, he has been back more than a month and several others.
I think this will be the last fight. This cursed rebellion has got to be put down before long and I think this fall will do it and I hope how quick it will be. You said you had been out to Paps. I would like to have been there with you. I think we could [have] had a good time. What do you think?
Well P., one year ago today, where do you think I was. I was enjoying myself at Decatur. But there is no telling when I will be there again. But it is to be hoped it won’t be long. So you say that Ted has gone to war. Well what will May do. Well I reckon she will do like my girl—wait till he comes back.
No more of this. Give my respects to all inquiring friends. Oh yes, Colonel [James] Gavin was wounded in the breast with a musket ball. Write soon. From your brother, — George W. Sefton
Letter 13
Camp near Bakersville, Maryland
October 22nd 1862
Dear brother,
With much respect I seat myself to write you a few lines in answer to your letter which I received yesterday and was glad to hear that you was well. I am only tolerable well at present and hoping these few lines may find you all well.
Well P., I have not much to [tell] you this time as I have not had much news lately and therefor you need not look for much—only it is getting pretty cold out here. But that is not very good news. I don’t know whether we will be out this winter or not. At least I hope not. I think I will come out to Old Johnson [county] this winter if there is any chance for me. But I hope there will be. You said there was nine drafted in your township. Well, do you know who they was? Write in your next letter and tell me, yf you please, I heard that James McCain was drafted. Bully for him. I would be glad to hear of the Southern sympathizers having to go.
Well P., when you write again, tell me all of the news and I will do the same. And you say Mag Curry is laying very low. Well I am very sorry to hear that. Write soon. I got them stamps and was glad to get them. No more.
Your brother, — G. W. Sefton
Letter 14
Camp near Stafford’s Court House, Va.
November 24, 1862
Dear brother,
With much pleasure I take this present opportunity of informing you that I am well at present and hoping these few lines may find you all well. I received your letter this morning and was glad to hear from you and that you was all well. But I was sorry to hear of the death of Mag Curry about the same day I got some very bad news..[2nd page illegible due to smudged pencil]
…if we do. Well P., you said that if the last dispatches is true, that England and France is going against us. Well P., I hope you don’t believe that. There is no danger of that for they are all right got the government. They know better than that. So no more on that subject.
Our Colonel has got back to his regiment and is now commanding our brigade. We are in the Second Brigade, 1st Division, and 1st Army Corps. I believe that is all that I will write this time and therefore I will bring my letter to a close by giving my love to you all.
Your brother, — Geo. W. Sefton
Letter 15
Camp near Pratt’s Landing [10 miles below Aquia Creek], Virginia
December 24, 1862
Dear Brother,
Once more I seat myself to pen you a few lines in answer to your letter that I received yesterday and was glad to hear that you was well. I am well at this time and hoping these few lines may find you all well.
Well P., I would like to see you once more very well but I guess I won’t soon. You said you was out to Paps. Well I hope you enjoyed yourself. I would liked to have been there with you. I think we could a made it a little more interesting, don’t you? I reckon they are pretty lonesome there now. I would like to see them all the best kind but I don’t know when that will be but I hope not long.
Well P., I have not much to write to you that will interest you much. I got a letter from Wash the same time I got yours for the first one for some time. I was glad to hear from him. Well P., how is times out there at this time and how is the girls of Johnson county? And do you think that they ever think of their humble servant, G. W. Sefton? Tell them all that I am still the same fellow yet and would like to see them all.
Well I guess I will have to quit for the present and write more the next time. From your brother, — Geo. W. Sefton
Letter 16
At our recent Camp [Pratt’s Landing, Va.]
February 9, 1863
Dear Brother,
With respect I seat myself to pen you a few lines in reply to your letter which was received this morning and was glad to hear from you and that you was well. I am well at present and hoping these lines may find you all enjoying good health. I am surprised to hear of such news as you hear in regard to what Will told you about me. I guess you need not believe everything you hear, I am at htis time as well and hearty as I have been since I entered the service except a little cold. But that don’t amount to much. But in regard to our cold weather, we have not had any of consequence. We had one pretty big snow but it did not stay any time. It got warm and rained and made it muddy.
We have got comfortable quarters for winter. We built little shanties and covered them with our tents and made our fireplaces. Then our regiment is camped on a ridge. The boys dug down in the hillside and made bully houses here. I expect we will remain until Spring if we don’t take transport which some of the army has already done and are bound for Vicksburg on the Mississippi where there will be a big fight—one that may end this damn fuss.
I wish that all of them Buckeyes that holler for Jeff Davis was forced into to the service and [put] in front and made to fight to help put this cursed rebellion down. I would be tempted to shoot a man if he and his hallooed for the Southern Confederacy. But it seems as [of] there is plenty of them there. I believe the Southern Confederacy will be reorganized if things goes on as they have been of late.
I got a letter from home the other day stating the death of Uncle Tom and his old girl. What was the matter, I can’t tell. Well, as it is getting late, I will quit. Hoping to hear from you soon, I’ll bid you goodbye.
— Geo. W. Sefton
Letter 17
Camp 7th Indiana Volunteers
June 24, 1863
Dear Brother,
I have seated myself to pen you a few lines in reply to yours of last evening which found me well and enjoying myself, hoping these few lines may find you the same.
Well P., I haven’t much to write to you this time in the way of news but nevertheless I shall try and interest you the best I can with what news I have to tell you. You don’t write very much and therefore you can’t expect much from me.
I received a letter from D. W. Hamilton the other day. He said they was well and also the friends in the neighborhood. He spoke of being out to Old Decatur [County] lately to see his brother and has died since. He said, “Poor fellow, he has gone where there is no war, nor anything else to trouble him.” But here we are and not much chance of getting out of this. But thank fortune we don’t have but about one year to serve yet and the time passed off very fast. The time don’t seem very long to me and I would just as soon be here as there under the present circumstances which our country is in at this time. I could not content myself if I was there very long. Therefore, it would not make a half cents difference.
Well P., as we have marching orders, I will have to quit writing for the present and finish when we stop a going.
Maryland Camp near Middletown.
June 28th, 1863
As we have come to a stop again I will try and finish this letter. Well P. , we are in Old Maryland once more. It looks like home to get into a country where we have some friends. There is lots of girls here and are all right for the Union. That is what looks nice to see—the old Stars and Stripes floating in all the little towns as there was in this state.
No more this time. Write soon. Your brother, — G. W. Sefton
Letter 18
Camp near Culpeper, Virginia
August 13th 1863
Dear Brother,
Once more I take the present opportunity of informing you that I am well and hoping these few lines ay find you well. I received your letter the other day and was glad to hear from you and that you was well. I would be very glad to see you all once more but it seems as though it is a bad chance now. But I hope it won’t be this way always.
Well P., we have had a pretty smart fight [Gettysburg] since I last wrote to you but we have the best of it. I was not in it for my part and I ain’t sorry. But we will have the biggest fight some of these days that has been for some time. Our regiment’s loss was 47 wounded. There was none killed that I know of. I think that this will bring this along [to] a close pretty soon.
Well P., are they drafting any out there? That was the best thing that i have heard of since I have been out. Well Lucy, since you have commenced our correspondence, I shall have to write you a few lines in answer to yours which was gladly received and you said that you saw that letter I wrote to her. Yes, I expect you thought that I might write you and the children a few lines. Well, I think so too and therefore I will. But I suppose that Hattie was so glad to get a letter from her old friend that she had to show it to you. Well, that is alright. I have not wrote but two letters to her since I was there and ore than that, you say that Mag has a girl at her house. I say Bully for them or any other man.
Well Lucy, you must write again and I will do better next time. So no more this time. Your ever true friend, –[G. W. Sefton]
to Mr. and Mrs. Sefton
Letter 19
Camp 7th Indiana Vols., Culpeper, Va.
February 11, 1864
Dear Brother,
Your letter was received a few days since. It found me well hoping these few lines mat find you all well. Yes, you spoke of your fine girl. I should like to see you and your little ones but, however, I will be some time yet—about seven months only—and maybe we will get our next April. I hope so at any rate. But if we don’t, then we will in September. Then times I long to see. I should like to see you all once more.
Well P., there isn’t much news in camp this time so you need not look for a very lengthy letter. The regiment is in good health at present and fine spirits but I hardly ever saw them any other way. So I will say nothing more on this subject.
You spoke of what you was doing. Chopping cord wood is good employ sure. I should like to be there but I don’t know that I would take a part. I intend to take it easy for awhile when I get out of this war—if I ever do. I don’t think that I could relish work very much for awhile. Perhaps I will spend a month or so with you if it is agreeable.
I got a letter from Rachel the other day. They were tolerable well. She said that Mrs. Draper was not well and she also said that Mike Sefton’s little boy was dead. And she spoke of a marriage that took place a short time [ago]. It was Miss Espie Potter & Robert Meek.
So I believe this is all the particulars I have this time. So no more. Write soon and oblige your brother. — Geo. W. Sefton
Letter 20
[Greensburg, Decatur county, Indiana]
September 29, 1864
Dear brother and sister,
I take this present opportunity of informing you that we are all well at present and hope these few lines may find you all well.
Well P., I heard that you was drafted. I want you to write and tell me how you are making it. If you want any help, you must write and tell me. I suppose that you will get a man to fill your place—if you can get one. You must write and tell me what you are a going to do.
We had a nice picnic at Greensburg yesterday. There was a big crowd there and some good speeches as I ever heard. Write soon and tell me how the connection all are a getting along. So no more at present.
— G. W. Draper to P. O. Sefton
Greensburg, Decatur Co., Indiana
September 29th 1864
Dear Brother,
This evening finds me with pen in hand to address you a few lines to let you know of my whereabouts and how I am getting along. I am enjoying good health at present and have been having a pretty good time. Since I saw you last, we had one of the grandest picnics at Greensburg yesterday that has been for many a day. There was a large crowd and plenty of good looking young ladies. We enjoyed ourselves generally. General James Lane addressed the audience [stumping for the reelection of Abraham Lincoln]. He made a good speech, This is enough of this.
Well P., I heard that you were amongst the ones that were drafted in your township. I was sorry to hear that knowing that you could not go the way you are situated. But however you must try and get someone to go in your place, if possible, and if you can’t, I don’t see how you are going to fix it—only to go yourself. I expect you are looking for me out there but I don’t know when I will come yet—maybe next week during the fair at Indianapolis. No more. Write soon.
— G. W. Sefton
Spared & Shared 22 