1865 Charlotte, Nc Soldier's Letter For Sale

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To: Wife

From: F. M. G. Melton

Co. B, 130th Indiana Vol. Inf.

Charlotte, N.C.

June 14, 1865

Dear Wife,

I do not know that I can interest you this evening but I can assure you that I never

pass happier moments than while engaged in trying to talk with you. I sometimes almost

fancy myself talking with you face to face but when I awake as it were and find that many miles intervene between us it almost makes me sad, although not in the least homesick. Believe [me] there is nothing would give me more pleasure than to once more embrace my little family and I doubt not the pleasure would not be altogether mine, for I think I am not much mistaken when I say that it would be a happy moment on both sides.

If I thought there was any use for us here I could stay better contented but I

cannot see that we are doing any good here in this God forsaken country and I think that the government would be doing an act of gross injustice if they kept us here any longer than is absolutely necessary. If it is essential for us to remain here our time out I am satisfied but if it is I can't see it. And if it is impossible for them to get us away any

sooner, all right and I am content. You wrote to know whether I was going to enlist in

the regular service. I would say nary regular that anybody can see. I have done all that I

enlisted to do, viz., help put down the rebellion. We have done it and now I think if Uncle

Sam does not send us home as soon as possible he had better rent out to somebody that will.

Tell Willie and Lue to be good little children till Pa comes home and let me see

how pretty they are, for I know they can be pretty children if they try. You will not be

very likely to know when we are coming until we get there and it is altogether likely that I

will be engaged in Indianapolis several days before I can leave there and then I will have to go to Anderson and probably to Greenfield before I will get to start out there. But I do not want you to attempt to meet me anywhere until I arrive there, for it would in all

probability be an expense for nothing, for there is no telling what I will have to do nor

where I will have to go after I arrive in Indiana . If I should live to get there of which at

present I have no fears but God only knows when it will be but it will in all probability be

in less than 18 months from this date if things continue as they appear at this time. I will

have a better time after [a] while than them I have had. Since I have been in this state this remark may be unintelligible to you but I am not prepared to give an explanation at

present but you will be advised of it at a proper period. I think of all curses heaped upon

one man the heaviest is to have to take a set of Company Books and records that has been botched from the start and get them straight and make a settlement with the government and not get caught in a trap. I took our books and records in the awfullest shape that books ever get in and I worked almost night and day until I got the thing in a respectful shape, although to save the men and officers I had to write enough lies to curse a Cathotic Priest, for the thing was botched from the beginning and had to be straightened if it had to be done by swearing to a lie which is not hard for a military man to do, but I think when I am safe from the business this time I will not get so deep next time, although if it had been started right, it would not be any trouble at all compared with what it is but I am talking about something you know nothing about and probably never will only what is told you and you can hear but a faint idea from what others say.

I have been in better spirits ever since I heard that you got that money, for I know

you needed it and I could not help you at all. You probably would like to know how soon

I expect to get home. In answer to such a question I would say that I have the question

put to me every day and my answer always is that you at home know more about it than I do here and I am almost tempted to ask you the same question but I hate to ask so many questions and for fear you could not answer them I will not ask them. I do not get any letters from any of my connections and consequently write more so we both save time and as for friends, a man in the army is seldom thought of by those at ease in their pleasant homes, or it may be they have not got time to write to soldiers. If not, they are to be pitied, for from my heart I pity anybody that cannot get time to write a letter once in a while. But if they have the time but do not want to, I can excuse them for I would not

write to them if I did not want to. I do not blame them much for I guess it is with them

"Out of sight Out of mind". Such frost bitter friends are not worth much to a man

anyhow. You must excuse these few short lines as I am in a hurry at present and cannot

think of anything of importance to write. When I get time and opportunity I will write a

whole sheet of paper in one letter. And excuse my poor penmanship as I am writing with

a strange pen and in a hurry.

You must not get anxious about my coming home for you will most likely know

when I get there and not much before, for I will not attempt to fool you on the matter, and would not tell you if we had marching orders for tomorrow morning, for we do not know that we are a going home but we have no such orders and I do not know that we will soon. So no more, but remain yours as ever,

Address F. M. G. Melton

Co. B, 130 Regt. Ind. Vol. Inf.

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