Myron Mullett
Company F, 26th Iowa Infantry
“Jerome said that he had enlisted in the State’s service and was sworn in the day before he wrote. He says that the Copperheads and Rebels up there have organized and are armed and equipped one hundred and eighty strong and mounted on good horses. They were at Tipton, 25 miles beyond father’s on the Woubsey. O how I would like to take just 1 company of boys here and go up and clean the Sons of Bitches out…” Myron Mullett, Memphis, Tennessee, September 18, 1863
Memphis,
Friday, September the 18th, 1863
Dearest Annie–
‘My’ is as well as usual tonight and hopes that his Pet is also well and happy as a lark and having just one of the best visits in the world with the good people of LaGrange. Well, darling, I wrote a letter and sent to you day before yesterday and yesterday I sent you a paper and I thought that I would sit down this evening and commence another letter. But this plaguing ink is so thick, I can’t write. So, Ida you will have to have a good deal of patience or you can never read it.
I got a letter from father and Jerome yesterday and as I have no war news of any account to write, I will tell you something about it. Jerome said that he had enlisted in the State’s service and was sworn in the day before he wrote. He says that the Copperheads and Rebels up there have organized and are armed and equipped one hundred and eighty strong and mounted on good horses. They were at Tipton, 25 miles beyond father’s on the Woubsey. O how I would like to take just 1 company of boys here and go up and clean the Sons of Bitches out. But I hope that we have loyal men enough to give them just what they deserve.
Father said that he had got his grain thrashed and that he had between 3 and 4 hundred bushels of wheat and over one hundred of oats and that he has got 20 or 30 acres of the best corn in the County…
Well I am really glad that Father’s crops have turned out so good, for he has always worked so hard. He says that he cut all his grain with the cradle himself and that Jerome bound it and that they minded their own business and got along first rate.
I saw George yesterday. He is getting along now very well, but was pretty sick a few days ago. But I think he will get a long now first rate. He said that he felt better than he had for a month.
We have a general cleaning out here tomorrow. We sent away 150 men. The worst cases that are able to travel. They will be put [on the] boat, Bell of Memphis, and sent North—some to Fort ? and some home. Poor fellow, I am glad to see them go. I wish that they were all leaving home where they could receive the kind attention of their friends. They get good care taken of them here, but it is not like having a kind Mother or Sister or an affectionate wife to watch over them and nurse them, for there is no man that can take good care of the sick as can our kind hearted and affectionate women.
What fine women that we have about the hospital. [They are] excellent women and always trying to do all that they can for the poor sufferers. Well, dear Ida, if you are a mind to, give me one real good kiss. I won’t bother you anymore tonight.
Saturday, 10 o’clock p.m.
Well Annie, I have been whitewashing all the forenoon…and after dinner I went to the office expecting to get another letter from you, but I was somewhat disappointed. I have not had but one letter from you since you left home….
This is the last letter that shall direct to LaGrange and I shall probably write another in about two weeks and will direct it to Rochester. No more in this time in haste.
From you ever affectionate, My.
Dear sweet, Ida, goodbye.”
Choose from the Mullett Collection: Biography
20 Oct. 1862 | 13 Dec. 1862 | 1862/1863 | 1 Apr. 1863 | 22 May 1863 | 31 May 1863 | 18 Sept. 1863 | 30 Sept. 1863 | June 1865