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The Civil War Letters
Submitted by Solon Ogden |
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LETTERS
Jan. 8/62 S. C.
Hilton Head Port Royal
My Dear Julia & Dora O how I would like to se you and kis you I
hope I shall one day se you again you must be good to everey bodey & kis ma &
Dora for me & ma must kis you for me you must not for get to say your vers every
night tell Otis that he must rite to me & Solon for I would like to here
from him, give my love to all from your father Solon Dartt
Julia Dartt
Tell uncle Henry he must rite to me
Direct to Port Royal, Hilton Head, S. C.
In car of Liet. Col. Jam. Beaver 45th P.V. Co. F (Not sure of the
company-it is hard to read)
First letter on next page is unreadable.
I herd from uncle Add the other day he is well I ges his head is not bursted eney more then it all ways was he is still the same all ways tradeing knifes or fifes. Tell Otis I was glad to get his letter and I will rite him another before long tell uncl Henry he must rite to me I hop I shall go home next spring you must be a good girl and learn to read and say your little prayr every night I wish that I could se you and ma and Dora I do not think you would no pa for my mustash is over 2 inches long and my bierd is verey long I wish you could se me in my new suite with my hat on and a fether in it I ges then you would not no pa tell ma to rite often this from your father, Solon Dartt (The Solon on this letter looks like Ann)
You must be a good girl and love ma and Dora and all the rest of the folks. you must say your little prayre every night and learn to read give my love to uncle Henry and Otis and Grandpa and Grandma and all the folks that you se you must rite often to pa
Hiram L. Lewis Norwich (?) Aug. 6 (?)
Winter will soon come and the birds will fly away to the south and all
things look glomery (?) but still there are manny beauties in winter for then is
the only time that I can ride on the sled and when evinings comes I take so much
comfort in cracking nuts that I sometimes think that it is the most delightfrul
portions of the year but still I think that sumer is more pleasant and beautiful
beautiful than.
My Dear little Julia Ann, I received that little letter I love to rede you letters when I se you marks it makes me think of old times you must be a good girle kis ma and Dora for pa I have not got my money yet the pay master is on this island but there is somethin rong about the pay roll So they had to fix it over I think we will get our pay soon if I do I will Send it to ma so she can get you something new.
Port Royal, S. C. My Dear daughter Julia
I must rite a few lines to you O how I would like to se you and Dora O
how I would hug and kiss you and tell you all about these litte darkeys all the
little girles that I se here is black as litte nigers and we se lots of them
here I wish you was here to pick poseys in our door yard you could get as
much as you could carey and we would have good times.
Julia Ann Dartt, Dora Dell Dartt, Solon Dartt, Sarah M. Dartt
Port Royal Stoney house Plantation
March 3th My Dear Daughter I received your letter to day, dated Feb. 16th
and one from ma dated Feb. 6, 9, and 16th. I was verey glad to get them it
done me a greate dele of good for I had not had a letter for 2 or 3 weeks.
I got 4 letters one from Aunt Reny and one from Aunt Armilia (?) and one from
uncle Nathen. I was verey glad to here from so many O how I would
like to be up thare to go out slay rideing with you and se your nise dress and
bonet & flat (?). You must not be to proud but you must lerne to reade
your book you must be good I would like to se you verey much XXXXXX
Canton. April 16, 1886 (Not sure about the 16)
Dear Dauter – Julia
I want to see you and little (…?…) so bad I doant no what to do (…?…)
I think you could com down I maid my mind up to com up to your house but last
night I got a letter from Margaret Dartt she is at new york she has ben there
(…?…) her health is getting so poor she must leave she will be here next weak
she will come when she gets my letter I jest sent my letter to the ofice she
said she would send a letter a head so we could meat her at the depot I can’t
tell you all she wrote you com down here I can tell you all aabout it I thought
I would let you no so you can get your bread and bake because she is agonta stay
all summer I would thought she would stop to Shipman (?) Dartti tell you it me
swet to think of it because I see how I can wait on her I like her visit to but
it will make it hard on me that is all I can (…?…)
Nov 30th/61 Fortres Monroe
My Dear little Julia and Dora I though I must rite to you a litle leter I am
well and hope these few lines will find you & ma all well (…?…) well as my
baby do but you must be good to ma & Dora and kiss them for me I am glad you say
your vers every night be good and love all the folks & love the Lord to my love
to all from your father Solon Dartt.
April 21th/62 Port Royal S. C. Hilton Head
My Deare Deaughter Julia Ann, I take this opertunity to let you no that I am
well and I hope these few lines will find you well. XXXXXXXXXX
Sarah Margret you sed that you herd that Bulley (?) Bacon and I was holding
meetings down here I want you to let me no who wrote such newz home give me
there names if you no who it is let me no if you will and oblige your husband.
Now I will tell you all about it we have meetings every Sunday and Thirsday
evenings and we have good meetings and I think the Lord is one in our meetings
and that to bless Mr. Ellis takes the charge of the meeting most of the time.
Some times I do and some time Mr. Donley & Mr. Eastman takes charge they are 2
as likely young men as we have in this co. our meetings are cared an in
the best of order our capt. Takes part some times and we have a full room often,
Mr. Bacon never took charge of it and some times he dos not have eney thing to
say then again he prayes & speeks but that is no disgrace to us nor me I
do not associate with him as a pardner I hope you will find out who told such a
thing and let me no, you spoke of paying Mr. Miller one dollar and a half I do
not no who you mean or who this Miller is give my respects to Henry & all the
rest my love to you and baby’s
This from your Husband Solon
Julia Ann Dartt,
East Charleston
Tell ma that I got too par of socks to day we all drawed each of us, too
par. I expect to get my money in a few days then I will send it to her if
I get a chance & then she must get you all some thing new I wish I could send
you a cracker (?) or something but if I come home I will bring you some thing
pa
Port Royal Hilton Head
April 1th/62 (could be 63)
My Deare Daughter Julia
I receved you letter and was glad to get it and that (…?…) I have to
look at your likeness every day O how I would like to se you and Dora and
Ma. I hope we shall se each other before long you must be good and take
good care of ma and Dora till I come home Kis ma and Dora for me and tell ma to
kis you for me be good to every bodey and ten every bodey will like you lerne to
reed and sing and write and be a good girl my love to you & ma & Dora, your
father Solon
Port Royal Jan. 22th/62
My Deare Daughter Julia I got your letter & your thre cents I was glad to
get them I like to here from you I would like to se you and I hope I can
come home next spring so you tell ma that she must get yours and ma & Dora a
like niss & send it to me I thought I would send you some (…?…) you
must Kis ma & Dora for pa be a good girl
From your Father, Dartt
Pete (?) is a sewing carpet rags Judith(?) is working down to Dr.
Cleveland(?) house today how does you get a long I would think you might
com down here to morrow I am som better then I was but it prety hard for
me how does the folks get along out there I feel home sick to com up
there but is all the good it does me well I can’t think of much to wright
to you because ever body is strangers to me so I have no news to right so
I must close for this time I think I do as well as you do you doan’t wright at
all it is hard work for me I trimble so and it tired my head so well I must stop
So good by for this time
Wright sometime now Edd when you can’t find any other place to go com here
From your Mother (..?..)
Kiss that (..?..) for me
O how I would like to se litle Dora walk & play I have not herd from uncle
Add in 2 weeks he was well the last I herd from him he is up to otter island yet
but I think when our Col gets back that our regiment will get together again,
tell Otis(?) that I was glad to get his letter and I will rite one to him next
time give my love to uncle Henry and all the folks and to ma and Dora tell ma to
rite often and you must rite everey time ma does, this from your
Father Solon S. Dartt
XXXXXXXXX
I wish that I could be there to go to Mr. Potters with you ma ses that I
have such good times that I do not care what you do but I do care I want you to
go visiting and take all the comfort you can that is (…?…)
My deare Daughter Julia Ann Dartt
I receved your letter and was verey glad to receve a letter form you I am
well and I hope these few lines will find all well O how I would like to
se you and Dora I would hug and kiss you and Dora you must be good and rite to
pa often Kis ma and Dora for me XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Port Royal S. C. March ? my Dear Deauter Julia Ann Dartt I receved your letter and was verey glad to here from you I am well and hope these few lines will find you all well I am glad you ad ma has such good times Slayriding I wish I could be thare to take a ride with you but I do not think that I shall take ney slayrides this winter but I hope that.
Port Royal S.C. April 17th/62 (may be 63)
My Deare Daughter Julia I receved your letter and was glad to here from you
and to here that you was well O how I want to se you but I can not now but
I hope I can se you before long you must be a verey good girl if you aint good
no one will like you but if you are good good folks will like you I hope
you will try and be a good girl and love every bodey mind your ma and be good to
ma and Dora and you must mind uncle Henry and grandma and if you go to ant renia
you must mind her.
I have got a gold dollar that I thought I would send to you tell ma to get you something nise with it and when I get my money I will send some to ma and Dora I herd from uncle add this week he is well and is fat as a bare so the man sed that come from thare I did not se Daniel Wilcox he went from the fort up to otter island if we come North our regiment will get to gether again I hope so for I like to be with the regimen, my love to you and ma and Dora and all the rest of the folks from your father Solon S. Dartt.
Be a good girl whare ever you are and the Lord will protect you and keep you. I would like to send you womething nise but I do not no what to send may be you would like one of these litle nigers we have lots of them running round like litle toads I think they would look nise up thare in a chage wouldant you but I ges I wont send a niger but if I can get some thing nise I will send it to you or bring it I had rather bring it my self I have some shell in my nap sack that I have keep some time and I mene to carry them home to you and Dora for pa and ma must kiss you for pa but who will kiss pa well those kisses you send in your letters will do till I come home the Lord bles you (line missing) my love to you all
I was out the other day and got some nise sheles on the sea shore O how I wished that Julia was thare to help pick up some of them I thought I would send some of them home in a leter I saw the other day some litle girles & I herd them call one of them Julia O how I thought of my Julia every time I se little girles I think of my girles I se babyes but they do not look a
I supos by the time you get this letter you will be going to School well you
must be a good girl to school and learn your Book I hope you say your
litle prayr every night you must kis ma and Dora for pa and ma and Dora must
kiss you for pa give my love to all and my love to you and ma and dora
Your father Solon
Tell ma to get you something I will try and send you a other dollar when I
get my pay next time
The 55th P.V. is qurterd on our right of our quarters and the 3th R. I. on
back of our (..?..) & the 79th regt., P.V. on our left and the parade ground in
front and the 6th regt, of the (..?..) on the other side of the parade ground
and Shermand battry on the other side so we have lots of dress parades here
every night for each regt. Have thare own dress parade Oh how I wish you and ma
and Dora could se us on parade.
Sarah margret you spoke about feleing so bad some times because I was gone
Oh I feel bad verey often but as you say I throw off such feelings and think all
is right and will be right my trust is in
God and I no he can keep us to the end Oh let us live so that if we
meet (..?..) more here we will meet in heaven may the Lord bless you and the
children kiss them all for me my love to you all
From your husband Solon
Solon S. Dartt Departed this life on the 16th day of June A. D. 186? At Edisto Island South Carolina while in the servece of his Country. (Small badly faded lined paper)
Edisto S. C. May 25th/62
My Dere Daughter Julia Ann I thought I would write to you once more and let
you no I am well and hope thes few lines will find you well you say. You
say your prayrs every night I am glad you do you must be good and learn your
book go to Sunday School and meeting and be good you must mind your ma and kiss
ma and Dora for me I wish I was thare to go to Sunday School with you and help
ma carrey Dora so she could go to meeting I hope to be home soon so I can
sleep with and take care of you and Dora you must be good to all give my love to
all, and my love to you and ma and Dora, from your father Solon
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Jan. 17th Port Royal S. C. Hilton Head
My Dere Daughter Julia Dartt I receved you kind letter I was glad to
get your letter I love to here from you & all the rest of the folk I
am glad you & Otis has such good times and I was glad to get that Hart I
wish I could send you a cracker but I can not in a letter but if I com home I
will try & bring one so you can se what we eate you must be good & rite to
me often give my love to all & to ma & uncle Henry & Otis
From your father Dartt
S. C.Otter island May 18th/62
My Deare Daughter Julia Ann Dartt I must write a few lines to you to
let you no that I am well and I hope these lines will find you well I wish
you was here to help me pick up shell but I will pick up some and try and send
you and Dora Some I had a quite a lot of shells down on Hilton Head but
when I come away from thare I was sick so I did not fetch them but I can get
lots of them here you must go to school this sumer if you can so when pa comes
home you can reede for pa I hope that before long I shall com home
Oh how I want to se you and ma and Dora I supose I would not no Dora but I
think I would no you and ma I supose Dora is pretty hansom for they say
she looks like her pa well you are hansom too because you look jest like
ma, I hope I shall be permited to se you all again you must be good to ma and
Dora Kiss them both for me and they must kiss you for me give my love to all my
friends and write often to pa my Love to you and ma and Dora
From your Pa Dartt
One of the boys give me some nice shell that they picked up to day I will
try and send them to you soon and when I get my pay I will send you some more
money my love to you and ……
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I shall be home this spring O how I want to se you and ma and Dora you
must be good and kiss ma and Dora for me I have not herd from uncle Add in a
long time we all got some gum blankits today the Governer of Pa sent them to the
45 for a present they are verey nise I bought one up to fortress monroe
but I sold it some time ago for what I give so I have one now for nothing if the
governor ceeps on giving us things we can not carey them the 45th is the govners
pet reg.t, our Col and Lieut Col is old friends of his and we have a Capt
Curtins (?), Nephew of the goveners, give my love to all
Your father Solon Dartt XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Camp Hale Nov 1th/61
To Julia Ann Dartt, Deare Daughter I received your letter last Monday and
was glad to here from you & to here that you was well those kisses that you sent
me was good so here is som for you and mah and Dora OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I wish I
could plas them on your ceeks with my lips but I cant now but you must be a good
girl and say you virs every night & be good to mah & Dora and all the rest of
the folks & rite to pa again give my love to all from your
Father Solon Dartt
Port Royal Dec. 31th/61
My Deare Daughter Julia & Dora I must rite you a letter to let you no
that I love you I think a greate dele about you I hope you will remember me and
rite to me and be a good girl & kis ma & Dora for me This from your father
Solon Dartt
Kises OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
/62
feb 23th Port Royal, S. C.
my Deare Daughter Julia Ann Dartt
I receved your letter dated feb 1th and I was verey glad to here from you
ma ses you are as fat as a pig I am glad you are well I often think
that if I could se you and ma and Dora I would kis you You better beleve
that I woulod hug and kis you I often think of my litle bedfeler how you uoust
to lay in my arms nightly but now I sleep with Mr. Chester Ellis in one corner
of the room you must be good to ma and Dora and every bodey tell Otis and
uncle Henry that they must rite to pa O how I wish you was here to pick
poses in our dore yard.
It is after pray meeting and I will finish my letter we had a good meeting
the Capt was in and spoke in the meeting maning may and some that has not took
hold before has comence to night maning took part in our meeting last Thursday
night I think that the time is coming when we shall have good times our
meetings are increseing all the time our ordeley was in our meeting to
night he is a rough man some times but he is liked in the Co., verey much and I
hope he will be converted and all of our co. pray for us that God will revive
his work in the army for the victory is not to the strong none to the number but
to them who put there trust in God he alone can do the work, we have a good
compney and the capt is a nise litle man he is most to esey with the men, I have
not herd from uncl add in most twoo weeks the last I herd he was well and as fat
as a hare thare is a man in our co. that is going home he gets a discharge
from the Doct, he is an old man he is an ireshman, he lives in the hotter county
an nere the line up in the mixtown settement he will start soon he belongs to my
room I wish he could go by the way of Wellsboro So you could se him if he goes
that way he will try to se you, Julia you must be good and lerne to pray and
rede your little Book rite to pa often
This from your father, Dartt XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Feb 3th Port Royal S. C.
My Deare little Julia Ann I must rite to you when I rite to ma O
how I want to se you and ma and dora you sed you thought you would no me but if
you should se me with my new cloths on and hat with fether in I ges you would
not no me but I hope I shall se you before long you must be good and kiss ma and
Dora for me I will send you some fethers out of a bird that one of our boys shot
& when I get my money I will send you some be good to ma & Dora & all the rest
From your father Solon
Otter Island, S. C. May 12th/62
My Deare Daughter Julia Ann Dartt
I was glad to here from you and to here that you was well and Dora to
I was walkin on the beach this morning and I picked up som shells and I thought
I would send you some of them oh how I wish you and ma and Dora was here
to walk out with me on the sea shore and gather shell and se the sea porposes in
the watter they are a fish about 8 or 10 foot long we can se them from the
shore they will jump up out of the watter, thare is a greate many curious things
in the sea there is a fish that is round about as large as half beanshel (?) and
they have a tail like a muskrat and lots of other things that is a show to look
at but I cannot discribe them the Sea Shore is the only place here that is
plesant, May 13th I did not have time last night to finish my letter
before revele and we have to blow out all lights after the taps so I will finish
it this morning it is plesant this morning and I have jest got don eating my
coffee and hard crackers Oh how I would like to eate breakfist with you
and ma I hope that I can come home before long you must be good girl and kiss ma
and Dora for me and tell ma and Dora to Kiss you for pa give my love to all and
my love to you and ma and Dora, from your father Solon XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Julia Ann Dartt East Charleston
When you want a cake that tast like pa tell ma to mix up some corn meal with
watter and bake it in a fring pan these are out nise cakes with hard crackers
From the Family Bible:
Solon S.Dartt departed this life on the 16th day of June A.D. 1862 at Edisto Island S.S. while in the service of his country.