Kelly, James R. (fl. 1861-1862) to Mary Kelly
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04197.23 Author/Creator: Kelly, James R. (fl. 1861-1862) Place Written: Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1862/03/04 Pagination: 2 p. Order a Copy
He has not received any mail from home in a long time. The weather is still cold. He requests postage stamps and reports that they will go to Martinsburg by rail.
Camp Chase Paw Paw Tunnel VA March 1st 1862
I wrote you yesterday but failed to get my letter in mail tho [sic] this morning, no letter from you by the last mail, I think a little strange that, I cant get a letter either from you, or any one lease at home, [illegible] dark last night the rain, and hail, was [illegible] down in [illegible], wind south east, but the wind changed to the north in the night, and this morning the ground was frozen solid, our camp this morning is our grand field of solid ice, such is the changes of climate in the old dominion, that fine old state, with its wild [illegible] climate, all is well this morning in camp, I have not heard from [illegible] since I sent him to Cumberland, I have firm other men in the post hospital at that place, I want you to send me a lot of letter stamps, I am now out of them, and they cant be here, it seems impossible for the government to furnish the army with them, you will doubtless notice the death of Gen Lander in the newspaper long before this reaches you, and also, that Gen Shields has been ordered to take command of this division of the army, I think in a few days we will be with the 27th Ind regiment, Capt [illegible] cops company is in that regiment, and under the command of Gen Banks, that regiment is now at Martinsburg, where I understand we are to march in the [illegible] 24 hours - we will not exactly march either, as I understand we are to go there by rail, which is a god send to our man, it will have them a long tailsome [sic] march, I have now given you all the news I am in possession of, the next letter I write you, [struck] will be from some other camps, perhaps from Martinsburg, or in the neighborhood of it, and it may [insert] be that I will not have an oppertunity [sic] to write again for a long time, if so, you will know the reason, dont be alarmed in the least, I think all will turn out will, and end well in the end, the union cause is now progressing finely, and I think the was must be brought to a successful close in the next three months, I dont expect it will end in one day after the rebels have been completely crushed, but it must and will close in the time, I hope to hear from you by todays wait,
[Illegible] to all at home especially you & siss
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