Civil War Letters of Wm Ozias Wells

The Cast of Characters:

[correspodents are identified by their intials]

wow: Willie, Wm Ozias Wells, our Hero
Charley: a cousin & comrade serving with Willie,
son of father's uncle, Green Wells
Hiram Blake and Cicero Kenedey
hp: Henry Patton, a comrade serving in the 11th Mich Inf.
eck: the farm at Eckford, Mich.

www: Wm W Wells, father
mbw: Martha B Wells, mother
Paul: Paul Henry Wells, brother, died Oct 1,1861 3½yrs old
jcw: John M Clark Wells, brother, died 3/20/1863 (16yr 4mo 12d)
Ida: Martha Ida Almyra,sister
Sady: Sadie Ada Phidelia, sister

Silvia: an aunt, wife of Green, neé Bitely
Grandma: Mary Kennedy Wells, mother of www
er: Elizabeth Roberts, an aunt
eb: Emma Blodgett, a cousin

Index to the letters, 1862, 1863, 1864

Index to the Letters

This first letter is from William Wallice Wells to his wife Martha B. They are Wm O Wells' parents.

May 28,1854/ www, Chicago: "Dirt and Dutchmen for Chicago"
a country plug's view of Chicago in 1854

The year 1862; Index to the letters, 1863, 1864, Top of Page

On the 22 Sept 1862 the 25th Michigan Infantry Regiment was mustered into service at Kalamazoo, Mich. with Colonel Orlando H. Moore in command. On Aug 7, 1862 Wm enrolled in Co.A, at Homer and was mustered in on Sep 11, 1862 at Kalamazoo

Date/yr Author, pw the Author code is explained at cast of characters
a pw indicates a Preston Wells letter

(access facsimile of original from margin thumbnails)

Sep 2/62 wow, Kalamazoo: "...lying on a pile of straw to wright"
Sep 25/62 wow: "Hospital...sick with the Mumps"
Oct 10/62 wow, Camp Moor: The First Engagement and the killing of a hog
Oct 18/62 er, Olive Branch, Ohio: from Aunt Elizabeth - family news and advice
"be a good boy ... if you get sick come to Cincinnati"
Oct 24/62 wow, pw: no "letter from you sence I left Camp Kalamazoo and I have rote you five"
Oct 30/62 wow, pw: "I wish I had one of your cows to make butter"
Nov 1/ wow, Camp Fewet: To Brother John
Nov 4/ wow: "...home before spring"
Nov 5/ eck, pw: Life on the Farm & a Tale of Pat Hays the Irishman
Nov 11/ wow: Camp near General Buckners Plantation
Nov 20-21/ www, pw: War & Farm News from the Home Front
a new School House & School Marm
Nov 21/ wow, pw: "a great many ... sick in the Hospital;
the boys has gone to bury Orlando Crocker"
Nov 29/62 wow: "...raw pork and dry bread..."
Dec 1/62 eck: "...pretty tight times here"
Dec 7/62 er: "...be a good boy"
Dec 8/62 wow: Marching Orders
Dec 10/62 wow, Louisville: Separated from the Regiment
Dec 11?/? wow: a box of things rety to send & a Rice Pudding Request
Dec 13/ wow, pw: "Old Morgan is within about 15 miles...
the boys ar all eager to hav the old chap make his appearance"
Dec 16/62 wow: Arrival at Mumfordsville
Dec? 20? /62 wow, pw, part of a letter: "when a man is Hospital;
beaf tea, stamps and gloves"

The year 1863; Index to the letters, 1862, 1864, Top of Page

Date/yr Author, pw the Author code is explained at cast of characters
a pw indicates a Preston Wells letter

(access facsimile of original from margin thumbnails)

Jan 6/63 wow, Mumfordsville: meayzles, marching orders and desertion
Jan 7/63 wow: "Cicero is prety hard up..."
Jan 15/63 wow, Bowling Green: Well Again, at Bowling Green
Jan 16/63 wow: Bowling green, "..a very prety town"
Jan 20/63 wow: "this is a very unhealthy plase, ...
only 10 men fit for duty"
Jan 28/63 wow: "the company is all sick" in a vey bad Camp
Feb 8/63 eb: From Cousin Emma Blodgett
Feb 10/63 eck: A Mother's Instructions
Feb 10/63 www: A Note from WWW at the Homer P.O.
Feb 16/63 eck: "...but Willie you must not indulge in such gloomy fancys"
Feb 18/63 eck, pw: Cicero he has got back, boxed up in a coffin
Feb 23/63 mbw, pw: Tell Bugbee that he must release you... from Pa
Oh Willie how I miss you... M
Feb 24/63 wow: "...aneious to have a fight"
Feb 27/63 eck: "...all that deserts now is to be shot"
Feb 28/63 hp, Murfreesboro Tenn: The battle of Stone River
Mar 10/63 wow: " Mr Bugbee ...he is a Country Plug him self"
Mar 22/63 wow, pw: I have got a box of things redy to send to you
Mar 27/63 wow: "Is it Posible...Brother Johney is Dead"
Mar 22 eb, pw: all well with the exception of your brother John
Mar 28/63 wow: "it dose not seam so that John is dead"
Apr 1/63 er, pw: the sad news of the death of your dear brother
Apr 12/63 eck: "...in the midst of life we are in death"
Apr 18/63 eb, pw: The Life of a Fifteen Year Old Girl Back Home
May 3/63 www, pw: The death of Will's grandfather John Clark
May 6/63 www: Patrick Taffy and the Jar of Whisky
Jun 17/ wow: "the leut... got mortley wounded but we did not lose a man"
Jul 21/63 www, pw: News of War & Home with a Bit of Humor
"more musquetoes here ... then you could put into your Haversack..."
Aug 16/63 wow: "Ida...glad to here from you"
Sep 6/63 wow: "...sick with the remitten fever"
Nov 15/63 wow: hospital again, Knoxville
Nov 6/63 wow, pw, Camp Near Loudon Tenn: "now we have quarter[s] rations and
the bread we have to bak ouselves"
Dec 12/63 wow: "...a going on after Longstreet"
Dec 22/63 wow: "...no reenlistment for this child"

The year 1864; Index to the letters, 1862, 1863, Top of Page

on to Mossy Creek, where the 25th was engaged,

Date/yr Author, pw the Author code is explained at cast of characters
a pw indicates a Preston Wells letter

(access facsimile of original from margin thumbnails)

Jan 14/64 wow, Mossey Creek Sta: "...one of our boys died"
Jan 30/64 wow, Knoxville: "a forageing" we will go, a list of prices,
and the "Reble Red White and Blue" for Ida
Feb 27/64 wow, Strawbery Plains: marching orders for Richmond ... Frank Chase reduced to the ranks
Bugbee trying to resign
Feb 28/64 wow: Yankee Tricks
Mar 16/64 wow/ Lebanon: Bugby at the Company, the Rebs at Russelville
Apr 11/64 wow, Mossy Creek, East Tenn: concerning the weather, Bugbee, the death of Sylvester Mumbrue
and the lack of stamps
Apr 18/64 wow: a new company commander, the cost of a photograph
Apr 23/64 wow: a good dinner, fishing