John McTarsney served in the Indiana Volunteer Infantry 93rd Regiment Company B. He Died in Andersonville, Ga.
September 22, 1863
Dear Wife,
I know take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well. Thank God for it and hoping that when those few lines comes to hand will find you and family well and happy to have received your letter dated the 13th of August and I was very glad to hear that you were all well. That is a long time ago now. Think that one a month will do but I would like one a week then I would think it long enough to not hear from you or see you but I think the time is not far distant when will get home to stay with you and the children forever. I have saw it in the papers where General Hill sent for our General, he told that the war was at ? (that's the word I couldn't understand) but there would be another battle yet at Culpepper. Celia we are seventeen miles from Vicksburg. We are on picket every other night and that it (sic) pretty hard but we must stand it. Celia I have sent you three letters and I get no answer and I was not going to write until I would get one but I could not stand it any longer. I do want you to write often for it does me good to hear from you if I can't see you. If I knew the post office that Bill Mitchel gets his letters in would send James a letter for I want to hear from him, he might write to me. Celia, I am trying to get home on a furlow and if I do that wil be in the next month. I have told the Captain and he said to put in the next time but if I hear that peace is made so that I could get home in two or three months I will not go. I don't like to spend the moeny for it is hard to earn and you do stand in need of it. Celia for my part I try hard and spend as little as possible but everything is high here that we want well. I suppose that you heard we had Chattanooga and General Steel took Little Rock in Arkansas, that is the capitol of that State and we have Fort Sumter so that the rebels has no way to get anything that they want so they are bound to give up.
Celia give my best respects to Mr. Broshers and family and James Mallon and family and Mrs. Renalds and James Ulmer and family. Celia write often and what is going on in Centerville. Thomas I do want to see you and Josephine and Bill to see how big you have grew since I left you. So no more at present but remain your affectionate husband until death. You said you would like to have two blankets but I can't send them.Thought I woulda got home on furlow but the furlow is played out for a while. Celia we are now in good quarters and I think we will enjoy them this winter. Anyhow we are on duty every other day but it's not like marching through the mud and rain and lay down on the ground at night. James I want you and Billey to go to school if there is any near you and try and learn to write and sypher (cipher) and Tommy and Jody must stay at home with you and be good children to I come home and I will send them to school to. Celia want you to get meat and flower (flour) for yourself and try and live as well as you can for you don't know how long you may live and as soon as I get paid I will send you more and that will be in this month I think and I hope the will. Celia I got the needle and thread that you sent me.I do wish that you could send one every week and I would be satisyed (satisfied). You sold your cow and lost eight dollars that woulda bought a right smart of feed for her. I wish that you could have kept her it would have help you and 8 dollars is hard to get but it can not be help. You done the best you could. You must buy one in the spring or when you can. Celia, I want you to take care of yourself and your children and that God may bless you all and keep you from all harm. Give my love to Lizzie and Mary Jane. Celia write as soon as you get this one. So no more at present but remain your loving husband.
Signed John McTarsney
Celia McTarsney.
Celia I want to know whether Stuart
Broshers is in the army or not.