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) Jan 6 1862 H Qtrs 59th Rgt in Town in a closed room without windows, & rusty old stove, Weather - Dark, Gloomy & raining, Willa Dear I hardly know whether to attempt to write you such a day or not. I have heard of "rainy blue Sundays", but this one bangs all I can remember and a persons nerves are sure to be more or less affected by the state of the atmosphere but remembering Tupper says "A letter timely writ, is a rivet to the chain of affection, and a letter untimely delayed is as rust to the soldier". I have concluded to muster up energy enough to overcome the reasons urged by mental indolence as well as physical against the measure - I am further strengthened in my determination by a further reading from the same author on the same subject, vis letter writing When the despairing lover waiteth day after day, Looking for a work in reply, one word writ by that hand and cursing bitterly the morn, ushered in by blank dissapointment, While the wounded heart counteth its imaginary scars, but I believe William you aint fond of poetry - Therefor I will not inflict any more quotations on you, but really, I never felt at so great a loss for something I thought might be interesting in my letter writing experience - having felt slighty like having a chill I got leave to come into town and stay until morning and am in a long dark dingy badly lighted badly ventilated room with a ragged dirty rag carpet on the floor, the room is on the ground floor of the "Parker House", there is an officer, lady occupies a room next east of mine and there is three noisy boy children with brass toed boots, who are galloping around making a most terrific clatter on the back porch, it is worse now as I opened the door and quietly asked them if they could make a little more noise! "Yes Sir" said one and at it they went, but I hear a womans voice expostulating and I expect mamma is trying to still the confusion - I have three books on my writing desk, the Bible, Baxtus "Saints Rest" and Tuppers - I read a chapter in the Bible in Psalms where it makes some allusion to Scalp. I wonder if the people in that early day used to Scalp each other like the Savages used to do. Mr Huston who wrote the note I sent you sent me another yesterday and tomorrow is the day set for our dinner, I dont think I shall attend - a young man by the name of Tatman from New Richmond died day befor yesterday, he is the 4th that has died, our Regt has been fortunate, Col Griebs 9th KY has lost 50 men and done no marching or service yet, he has 350 on the sick list, it is perfectly horrible, there is a great fault somewhere, our Drs stay with the sick all the time, some of the Drs here, I am told, scarcely ever see the men who are sick, but I must close as it is getting too dark to write and I want to get this letter in the mail for morning. I wish Uncle John would see Phillips and ask how much I owe on that note yet. Good by my own dear Wife. I am ashamed of this letter & will try to do better next time. Perry (Transcriber's note: From the looks of the handwriting, and the mood of the letter, I believe there is a good possibility that the Colonel might have had a few drinks that night. Not that the poor fellow didn't deserve one.)