HARRISON WHEELER
Gibson County, Indiana

Father:  Robert Wheeler
Mother:  Nancy Key

For Harrison Wheeler
Family Group Sheet see page 182

(Information furnished by Bette Millaway and
Katherine Wheeler Tyree)

"Civil War Soldier Wrote family Just before
death."

    "With the advent of Memorial day
interest will attach to the following letter
received by the late Minerva Wheeler from her
husband, Harrison Wheeler a former resident
of Princeton, while he was serving with the
58th Indiana Volunteer Infantry in the Civil
War during 1862.

     'Dear wife and children: I received
your letters dated March 12 and 20 and was
glad to hear you were all well. I am stouter
and healthier than I have been in six months. I
weight one hundred and thirty-six pounds in
my shirt sleeves and gaining all the time now.
I think the hard time is over now with us. I
have sent my short coat home and your
pictures and comfort and one pair of mitts for
I could not carry them. And one tactic book in
care of David Archer. Take good care of the
tactic book. I am going to send my overcoat
in two or three weeks. The paymaster is here
now and we will get our money in a few
days. We have drawed a new suit of clothes
and will send all home that is worth sending. I
want to come home when we draw our
money if I can get a furlough but I don't know
how it will be. Tell Mr. Sterns that I would
like to see him and Mrs. Sterns. Tell William
Archer I want to come home at hay harvest to
beat him a-mowing. Tell Mr. Archer my best
respects for him and all the rest. Friendship
has stood true with them and I could live and
die with them. I know that no better
neighbors could ever be. I got one letter from
Mont yesterday and was glad to hear from
them. He said they were all well but had had
a hard winter. His letter was dated March 7. I
have written seven letter to him and got two
from him. If Jack is still living, I would like to
know it. You said that Sarah DePriest was
sick and that George said if I was sick that he
would come after me or send money to me. I
don't need any money, if he has any to spare
tell him to help you some. Now something to
Caroline and John Riley. I want them to be
pretty children and read their books and tell
John Riley not to go with bad boys. Try and
make a little garden if you can, it will be some
help to you. Write when you can and I will do
the same. So no more for the present but
remain your true husband till death. Harrison
Wheeler to Minerva Wheeler and Caroline and
John Riley and little Lisey, my dear little baby.

-- P.S. I sent two letters by Hugh Green and
told him to stop and tell you all about me and
all the rest and the true state of facts. That is
all, write often and soon.'
________

     "The soldier who wrote the above
letter was soon sent to a hospital where he
died. Whether he ever expected to see his
loved ones again when he wrote the letter is a
matter of conjecture. The baby, Lisey alluded
to in the letter is Nancy Elizabeth Mounts
known as Aunt Lisey who now lives at 22 1/2
N. West St." (Princeton, Gibson County,
Indiana--rwjr)




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Roy Wheeler <rwheeler@itctel.com>
(© 1997 Roy Wheeler )

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