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Letters of Francis William Kimble
14th Iowa Infantry, Company 'B'
Presented by the Iowa Civil War Site
Letter number twenty-three
Columbus, Ky Dec 5th, 1863
Mother Today gives me the pleasure of taking up my pen to address you a few
lines in answer to your letter of the 30th which I received no longer since
than last night. Mother I was truly glad to hear from you and the children
again and much better pleased to hear that you are well. Mother today finds
me enjoying as good health as I ever had for the last 4 years and I guess
better. The only illness I have had for the last 4 months was the toothache
and that wasn't very severe. That tooth that use to bother me so much has
rotted all out a long time ago. Mother when I wrote to you last we hadn't
moved but we moved that afternoon. The band lived in their tents till a few
days ago. We got four 6-mule teams and went out in the country and tore down
a nice log house, 75 by 20 feet and brought it into camp. We just got it
finished a day or two ago. It is the nicest building that the 14th has. We
have got a kitchen and a cook stove and two of the boys has gone to get a
cook. Some of the officers almost begrudges us the house for it is a nicer
one than any of them has got. We had quite an excitement at Columbus last
Monday knight. The military prison was discovered to be on fire about 7
o'clock. It got such a start that before the fire could be extinquished it
burned one whole block including two or 3 stores and other property. But as
good luck would have it there wasn't one of the sesh got away. It is the
opinion of the soldiers that the prisoners set it afire in order to escape.
We have some talk of a fight at Columbus. There is one gun boat here and 3 or
4 regts landed a few days ago but I don't think that the rebs will attack us
here. But they may for there is one million of rations here and that is what
takes their eye. Mother there is a great many of the 14th a joining the
veterans corps. I guess that Companys A,B and C can't join them. I guess that
we will have to stay in the service our other year. If we do it is alright. I
guess we got our pay the other day. I have 50 dollars that I would like to
send home but I don't much like to risk it. You need not talk of me coming to
see you for Gen Grant has issued orders to stop furloughs in the 6th division
and that is our division. I don't know but I would enlist in the veterans if
I could. I don't know how you and Eliza can afford to write such lengthy
letters as you do. Give my compliments to Sate and the children. I must
close. You will excuse haste. No more but remain your son. F. W. Kimble
Write soon.
Transcribed and submitted by great great niece
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Iowa In the Civil War
