The following is a letter written in 1862, during the Civil War. The writer, Lewis Eugene Childs, was the son of Aaron Childs, one of the first settlers (from New Hampshire) in Augusta Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan. Aaron and Hannah Bemis Childs had nine children. Their first child was Col. Jonathan Webster Childs. Next week I will transcribe a letter he wrote in 1861 while he served in the Civil War. I have the originals of both of these letters. Lewis E. Childs, was born on May 25, 1836 and died February 1, 1889. He married Frances Hazeltine Richardson on June 12, 1866 in Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts. He served three years in the Army of the Cumberland. He was severely wounded at the Battle of Chickamunga, taken prisoner and later exchanged. They had five children with only one, Herbert Ward Childs, surviving to adulthood. Although Herbert married, there were no children and he died at the young age of 37. Lewis and Frances are both buried in Highland Cemetery, in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Lewis wrote this letter to his uncle James Webster Childs. J. Webster was my great-great grandfather. He was a Representative and then a Senator in the Michigan Legislature in the 1860s and 1870s. I will write more on him later. As you can see from the letter, Lewis was asking a favor. He had apparently done so before.
The spelling, underlining, and punctuation are as written.
Head Quarters
11th
Reg’t Mich Vols
Belmont
Ky March 31st – 62
Dear Uncle
Knowing the willingness you have allready manifested to use
your influence for my bennifit, I again ask a favor of you.
Lieut Col Stoughton (The man of the Reg’t) with some
of the other officers of the Reg’t have written Gov. Blair to give me a Capts
commission and Ephraim G. Hall a 2nd Lieuts commission. The Col.
requested me to write to you requesting you to recommend us to the Gov
for the same. The Col’s letter was sent last Saturday. If you will write the
Gov as soon as convenient and can conscientiously recommend us for those
positions you will much oblige. The Col said there was no doubt but the Gov
would grant them but he wished you to write so the Gov. would know and feel
satisfied.
Fortune has seen fit to cast our lot in the Def. of the Ohio
but not in the advance of that army which has lately moved its Head Quarters
from Louisville to Nashville.
Four months have we been anxiously waiting to be ordered
into more active service, but today finds us scattered for thirty miles along
the R.R. guarding its depots and bridges. This line of RR is indispensable to
our army and every bridge from Louisville to Nashville is guarded night and
day. The trains run on the road so one can go to Bowling Green and back in a
day. Some of us are talking of going to see the cave (?)In a few days, but
situated where we are one does not want to go far to find scenes interesting
and wonderful, to us who have never seen hills much higher than (our heads?). Just to the South of our camp are three high
hills and the one in the center which is a number of hundred feet high looks as
if it was monarch of all it surveyed. I
went to the top of it a few days ago and for the first time in my life stood
where I could look in every direction just as far as the eye could reach.
Today the paymaster is here and we are being payed off. The
paymaster is late from Washington and he and his clerk were well acquainted
with Webster. This afternoon as soon as they [sic] are through payin we are to
ride out in the country. I am to be pilot and shall direct the way to where two
young ladies live
And by the way you remember the Browns. They attended this
school at Mount Washington, and have given me a whol history of their __vadings?
in Ky. But I must clos for the room is full. They are paying in my room.
Please answer soon and receive this hasty note from
Your affectionate Nephew Lewis E. Childs
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