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Letters of Francis William Kimble
14th Iowa Infantry, Company 'B'
Presented by the Iowa Civil War Site
Letter number twenty-one
Columbus, Ky. October 2nd A.D. 1863
Mother, Once more I sit myself to inform you that I am yet amongst the land
of the living and well and hearty. Well this pleasant morning the old 14th
Iowa is on the hill in the rear of the city of Columbus. More than that we
are in good spirits for the health of our regt has improved wonderfully since
last I wrote to you. Where there was 25 skakes of the ague, there isn't 5. It
is much healthier where we are now than it was in the fort for the dust blew
so bad some times that we had to stay in our tents. But we are camped on a
grassy spot of ground at present and I think it more than likely that we will
stay here for the winter. The Colonel is already talking of building shanty's
to winter in. The reason I think that we will stay here is because the 37th
Wisconsin regt left last week for the ceit? of war. They went to reinforce
Rosey Crancey's army. A negro regt took their place in the fort..Since the
31st left the 14th boys has to go on guard every other day which makes it
pretty hard on them but they appear to stand it very well so far. Well we
have very cool weather yet especially of knights. The knights is very cool
that me and my partner sleep under 3 heavy blankets whick makes us very
comfortable. I have an overcoat with me and 3 pair of socks. I have the socks
you knit for me when I was home on furlough last winter. We can draw socks
from the commissary but they ain't a very good quality. Mother the next time
you write to Sarah tell her I said she wrote to me too often for I haven't
time to answer so many letters. I would like to know if she got the money
that John sent and the box that was expressed to her so long ago. I got a
letter from Sarah Biddison last night. She says that Billy Biddison is clerk
of the court martial at Springfield, Mo. Mrs. Littlefield is here yet. I
guess she will start for Ia in a few days. Littlefield has got most well
again. Mother I am sorrow to tell you that those peace meetings does more
harm than good. I think that if some of those men that is running and
speaking and crying peace, peace was in the army fighting for theri country
they would be worth noticing, but where they are they are a perfect nuisence.
Well Mother I am glad to say that the 14th Iowa has got their regular pay
once more. The pay master came up to camp last knight and paid 4 companys
when the darkness prevented further, so he went back and returned this
morning and paid the balance of us. It came very handy to the most of the
boys for they was about run out. I wasn't out for I always keep a little on
hand in case of emergencies. Mother it may be that I will come home on a
furlough if our regt stays at Columbus, Ky. I have so little to do now days
that I go all over the country. I don't know what we will do when the apples
is all gone for we have all that we can use now and have had them ever since
they was big enough to eat. When we want some sweet potatoes we go out in the
country and dig a haver sack full. Knight before last one of Co G loaded his
gun with salt and shot a young cow that was bothering round the tent. As it
happened the shot killed the cow. The boys dressed her and she made very nice
beef. The man who shot the cow told the colonel what he had done. All the
colonel said was for him to divide the meat with the rest of the co's which
he did. I want to know if that party you spoke of was at Poomboe's or not. If
it was, that is all I want to know about it. I want to know in your next
letter what Dad is doing. I heard that Bill Fouts had moved up the country. I
want to know if he did. Write all the news next time. I believe I will close
for the present. Yours as Ever. Good Day. D. W. Kimble
Dottie [email protected]
Transcribed and submitted by great great niece
[https://iowa-counties.com/civilwar2/_private/ncrbox.htm]
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The Iowa Civil War Site