OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - The James Perry Fyffe Letters (Civil War)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any
format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons.
Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain
the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative
of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof
of this consent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darrold Crites     
DCrites642@aol.com
July 16, 1997
------------------------------------------------------------------------

TO:	(No Envelope was shown)

H Qtrs 59th Rgt-O.V.
Columbia  Dec 11th  1861

Willa Dear

	I wrote to Uncle John two days since by Capt Hill, and have concluded 
to write to you as I may have a chance to send down on tomorrow by the 
Paymaster who today unexpectidly made his appearance.  Matters at present 
remain about as they did when I wrote to Uncle John.  I mean in a military 
point of view.  There is a general belief that fighting is going on, at 
Fishing Creek near Somerset, above us on the Cumberland River but we cannot 
get any reliable news having to depend on the news papers from Louisville, 
as we can get no information direct from Genl Shroop, Folicoffer forever 
being between us, I supposed when I wrote to Uncle John we would have known 
all about the matter befor this time.  Last night cannonading was heard in 
the direction of their forces but we hear nothing today about results.  Our 
Regt has had the longest rest here we have ever had since leaving Camp 
Kenton, the sick as a general thing are doing well, we have been enjoying 
delightful weather up to last night when it turned cold and froze a little.  
I took dinner yesterday with Judge Hardin, nephew of old Bess Hardin, 
somewhat celebrated in KY tonight, I was invited to take supper with several
officers of a KY Cavalry Co.  The people here much pleased with the good 
conduct of our two Ohio Rgts, 19th Col Beatty, and the 59th , our men are 
never about town drunk on the streets and corudging, I have been very proud 
of their behavior and I have received many testimonials of the good will of 
the Union folds wherever I have been.  Genl Boyle in a speech to my Regt in 
town day befor yesterday complimented the men very highly on account of 
having been the first Regt to cross the line to the assistance of the people 
of North Eastern Kentucky, who he said of your husband, before the 
Kentuckians and Tennesseeans, there assembled, was calculated to make him 
slightly vain, if he was liable to be affected by such things.  As it is 
getting late I will close until tomorrow and maybe I will be favoured by 
mail tonight with something from blue yes, so in imagination I will fondly, 
and tenderly, leave you to my heart, and kiss you good night my own Willa.

23rd - Well, although disappointed in getting anything from last night yet 
I recd a letter from Uncle John, full of interest.  He gave me an account 
of the party you had of Mr. Lakin being there - I was glad to hear of your 
having pleasant visitors.

	It has been raining hard today and the weather is dark and gloomy.  
The men are being paid off.  I went out among the tents in the rain this 
fore noon to see if the men had ditched around them in such a way as to let 
the water off without running under into the tents.  I found a greater 
portion had properly ditched while others had made their trenches so far 
from the bottom of the tents that it made the matter worse by dam up the 
water so it was forced into the tents.  I got wet making them rectify the 
matter.  Many of the men have built channels to their tents and have them 
quite comfortable.  My Color Guard Corporals McColgive, Sellers, Copey 
Campbell all have in their tents very comfortable fire places as well as 
many other, indeed it is impressing how comfortable a little ingenuity and 
industry combined well directed will accomplish - We hear nothing of 
importance in the War news except what we learn from the papers, Loyds 
Division we see is coming from Virginia to prolong, Green and Humphry 
Marshall has driven Labe Moon from Louisa, the place where we took boats 
on the Big Sandy, he came right down from Piketon, it seems strange after 
we drove Williams into Virginia the force up there could not keep them out
 - but so it is - I will write some general news on another sheet and put 
in this for you, show any one who might wish to see and now Willa dont you 
think you could write a little oftener than you do?  You say hearing from 
me does you good, which I rejoice to hear now my dear, good, confiding 
sweetheart, let me assure you it renders me very happy to hear from you - 
I was thinking about you last night until I went to sleep in my lonely tent, 
and this morning an hour before day I was ahead of the early drum, and laid 
and thought about you, until thought grew painful, when I arouse, and visited
the sentinals, the guard house - the hospitals to see the sick, yes Willa but
I need not assure of the fact after the evidence I have given of how dearly 
and fondly you are cherished in my heart and dearly loved - Good by I kiss 
you fondly -
Good by		Your Own
					Perry