One of Thomas W. Stephenson's letters to his wife, Elizabeth

Letter written by Thomas W. Stephenson to his wife, Elizabeth

Camp Chase Apr 20th 1864

Dear Wife

        I take my pen in hand to tell you that we have orders leave here I do not know where we are going they say we are going to annapolis in meriland I will write to you as soon as we land I sent you a letter a few days ago with a receit for sixty three dollars that you can her. You kneed not write me untill I write to you well it is 10 oclock and I am sleepy and I will bring my letter to a close give shanon a kiss for me and Philetus [Thomas and Elizabeth's middle son, John Philetus] too. Lorenzo I want you to be a good boy and do what ever mother wants you to do I want you to go to school this sumer and learn all you can so you can write a letter to me so fair well
        Elizabeth and Children

        Thomas W. Stephenson        )
        To his respected                  ) -- all this written with little dots around
        Wife and Children                )     every word

(another page from same letter or a loose page from another letter ??):

.......my likeness is in it for you and a few books for the children there is one little bundle in it it be longs to Joe Mayhugh [Note: Joseph Mayhugh enlisted in Co. C, 60th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry on Feb. 23, 1864, same day as Thomas Stephenson.] the balance and box is yours
        we go by Bellair I tryed to get home but I could not tell Cathran Bryan that John Bryan [John D. Bryan and his wife, Catheran] drawed his money to day and he will send it by express rite a way to Glencoe he will write to her as soon as he lands tell her not to write untill he writes to __________________ draw from the County treasury if you have not got it you draw it enny how get some boddy to attend to it that is responsible for it get C. P. Wilson if you can I will send a box by express with a few things in it
        it will go to Glencoe.......... (that's all of this letter)

A special thanks to Martha Williams for contributing this information. Thomas W. Stephenson was her great great grandfather.