Description

Description: A detailed 2-page letter on “fool cap [sic] paper” from John Kauffman to his father about  circumstances leading to their 28-mile journey from Bowling Green to Russelville, KY.

The letter begins, “Yesterday morning we got orders to strike our tents and pack up our things to take a car ride to this place.” They are not surprised as they have had to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice in the past. He and a friend, Orla Webster, miss an earlier call as they are out exploring caves. He writes about the move in wagons being a “horrible one.” They are “ringing [sic] wet” after tearing their “so nice and white tents” in “ancle [sic] deep mud,” and “loading the wagones” in the soaking rain. They build fires along the rail tracks after they reach Russelville and sleep beside them. Once there, he learns that “they should not have come at all for it was the 111 reg. that got the order to come [there] and general Granger was at Louisville and left [their] brigade in command of the Colonel of that regiment and he made [them] go instead . . . .” Also, “Col. Bruce is commanding this post and it is supposed that the rebels occupy Hopkinsville and would like to take this place if they could.” He asks his father to be in good cheer and have patience “for a little while longer . . .” He would like to say something to the children but doesn’t know what to write, so poignantly adds “tell them I will never forget them and would do anything in the world to make them glad if I could.” Signed, John Kauffman.

Signed and pencil written on 12 ½” x 8” ivory laid paper. Has an accompanying ornate, postmarked envelope addressed to Mr. J. B. Kauffman, Mifflin, Ashland Co, Ohio.  Item #AM00376

Condition: Mailing fold lines with a couple of short separations at intersection of folds. Quite legible and generally in very good condition.