Letter from Corporal John Griffith Jones to his parents in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, 20 October 1862 [page 1 of 4]

Description

John thanks his parents for their letter and says that he did not have time to write while they were marching towards Lexington, Kentucky.

A number of companies have been sent to the picket, five miles from the camp, but John Griffith Jones' company have been guarding a railway bridge which cost the rebels too much to burn down. There is plenty of water and they have set up camp near the bridge. The countryside is much finer than at Camp Bates but John notes that there is no one near them except for some 'niggers'.

He mentions that the soldiers are all fine looking as they march along the roads. He also notes that they have all gained weight since leaving Camp Bates and that he has put on twelve pounds - plenty of fat cattle have been arriving every day.

The mules carry the men's knapsacks and according to John, no other company has had this privilege. Carrying the knapsacks is enough to kill a man and John writes that Colonel Guppy has told them that he'd rather lose a mule than a man.

John has been taking advantage of every opportunity to read and sing and they have had much pleasure from Owen Owen's song book.

At the top of the letter there is a printed red illustration.