Jonas H. Roe
December 10, 1861 |
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[picture depicting inside slave quarters] Oh! Massa Jeff. dis Sesesh Fever will kill de Nigger
I again embrace an opportunity to converse with you upon paper although this is a poor substitute for [colloquial conversation] it is the best and only way of communicating to you my thoughts and feelings on the present [avocation] We are yet at Camp Butler and we do not know when we will leave we yet live in our tents - it is now warm and pleasant but when we came up and for upwards of one week after our arrival here it was cold and unpleasant. Since I came back a man in our regiment died of the measels I did not ascertain his name. The measels are very bad in our regiment several men have them among them is Joseph Allen his eyes are also very sore he has broken out well and I think he will soon recover We were mustered into the U.S. Service yesterday and we will I think receive our pay we received pay for about three months from the date of the first Election at Fairfield We have not had our Election yet and I have no idea who our Captain will be I think however they will elect some other Captain than Schell he has become very unpopular with the Company I am sorry it is so but I can not help it [Organs] Company is also mustered in and he will probably be superseeded as Capt. by a man by the name of Elliot John Allen is well and Joseph Enterkin is also well I brought up to him his horse when I returned he is nearly well again intirely free from lameness. Celina I am anxious to see you and our dear Children I wish you to strive to learn the children all that you can and I know that you will be an affectionate and loving mother as you are a wife Language is inadequate to convey to you my love and respect for the kindness and love which you have ever exhibited to me and my our children I have not written any thing to any my Jersey friends yet I do not know what to do in reference to it my mother if living is old and it will affect her very much to hear and know that I am in the Army if any of my Jersey friends write to me I wish you to send the letters to me And also send me the letters you receive from our friends from Indiana. I want you to state or write to me all of the particulars in regard to your affairs and Ms. Enterkines give my respects to Mr Spitter + family and all all the rest of my old Wayne friends
Yours very affectionately
Celina Roe J.H. Roe
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