ARCHIBALD MICHAEL McKEE'S LETTERS HOME; 15th IA INFANTRY Letters sent to the Gamble family (his mother being Elizabeth Gamble Transcribed & submitted by Diane Korten, to the IAGenWeb Project Archives, a part of The USGenWeb Project. Copyright(c)1997 by Diane Korten. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Letter 1 Bird Point, MO, April 31, 1864 Dear Cousin, It is with pleasure that I have my pen in han this sabath afternoon to pen you a few line. I am well as usel hoping those few lines will reach and find you and all the family enjoying the same good blessing. Well I have nothing of importance to write at present, we arived here yesterday and expect to l-ave before long. we have orders for marching now and we will move just as soon as there can be a boat procured for us to go an we have sined the payroles today and I expect that we will be paid tomorrow. I hope we will be so that I can send my money home before we leave here. I have my clothes boxed up all redy and am going to start them home tomorrow if I can get over to Cairo. Well green (Green Gamble), I started from home one week ago last thursday and joined my Ky at Keakn where we staid one week and you can bet I had a fine time. I was at five dances and to Church on Sunday night, the girls there was gay and festif untill our Ky went to start and then they began to look kinda sober. I did not think the old 15th was thought so much of untill we started away and then I tell you there was tears shed, we got the prase of being the swelest ky that ever Kindervased in that town and we got the prais all the way down the River. May 3, 1864 Well green, I will endever to finish this letter as I was called out while I was writing on sunday and had to stop writing. they was expecting an attacte at paduka, Ky and we was takin up there on sunday but the fight did not come off so the ky still remains there and I was sent back with a detail of fifty men to Cairo after the comastores and the boat has not got redy to start back yet so we are laying here. we will move east prehaps to the armey of the Cumberland at least that is generly the supision among the men. well green, I have writen about all the nuse that I can think of at present. I want you to be shure and write soon and often and tell me all the nuse you know, you must be shure and send the girls pictures and yours and Johnes and Franks if you can, you must send the girls anyway. Well I will close, give my love to all I remain your afectionate Cousin Archibald To Green Direct Co. F 15 Iowa vet volenters via Caro Ill Atlanta, GA, Sept 14, 1864 Dear Cousin, It is with pleasure that I have my pen in hand to answer your most welcome favor which I received about two months ago. I was glad to hear that you was well. That is more than I can say of myself. I have been very unwell for sometime, though I am a little better at present. Well, I have no news of any count to write at present. We have very pleasant weather here. It is not too warm nor too cool. We have gone into Camp near Atlanta, and expect to rest for one month, if not longer. Well, we all need the rest, for I never seen troops worn out so much in my life. Well, as I feel so tired and have written two letters this today, I will close. I remain your Cousin, A. M. McKee To Sarah Gamble Atlanta, Ga, Sept 15 Well, Greene, I will try and drop you a few lines this morning in answer to yours. I would of finished this last night, but I got so tired that I had to quit until this morning. I feel some better this morning, but I don't know how long it will last. I expect again soon I will be as bad as ever again. Well, you wanted me to write and let you know for certain whether Atlanta was taken or not. Well it certainly is taken, though I have not been in the city yet myself, but several of the Boys in the Co. has been in and they say it is taken, and we are camped inside of the Rebel works, and that is as good evidence as I want. I could of been in the city before this time, if I had of been able to of walked there. The 34 Reg is camped about two miles from here, and I have not been able to go and see them since we have been here. Well, Green, when we took Atlanta, we took a great many prisoners, but the most of them was of the female sex, so we had no particular use for them, so we have turned the most of them over to the Confederate army. All that had friends in the North was sent north, and them that had no friends in the North, had to go south. General Sherman said they could not stay inside of his lines atall. The soldiers think it was the nicest thing that the General ever done. Well, Green, you just hitthe nail on the head by sending me that stamp. I was writing a letter to Ava when I received your letter, and was going to put the last stamp on it that I had. I have a plenty of paper and envelops, but no stamps. Well, I have written all the news that I have, I believe, so I will close. I think you better hurry and send me them pictures that you promised me, don't you think so? Well, I will close for the present, hoping soon to hear from you again. Give my love to all the family. I remain your Cousin now and forever, Archibald M. McKee To Greene Gamble ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. -----------------------------------------------------------------------