These are the first of the many letters I located at the University of Iowa Manuscript Dept.

The Letters of Martin Mericle are currently being transcribed and will be added as work continues. R.K.Moore

Courtesy of the University of Iowa

Camp Marrietta Oct. 19th, 1862

I'm well and received your letter last night you wrote before father left home and it was very well composed but not very well spelled and when you write you must think about what you are about to do and then you will make not mistakes. Well Jon I guess you are all right on school this winter as you thought you had only a boy for a teacher so I hope you'll be a good boy and learn many long lessons and have it to say by next winter or at least two more winters and you can stand before the people and say here am I and I can teach you at school as good as any body else for my education is sufficient for teaching any of our common country schools.

Well John when you write me an answer to this letter I hope you will say I am well satisfied with my teacher and expect to be a good and industrious scholar. While I am gone if you wish to see my books for any reference you can have the priveledge to do so and try and get all the education you can as that is one thing needful in this world for I see the effects of an education daily as there are men here in the 114th Regt. that are good looking and pretty sharp and they can't read or even write their own name and there is nothing wanting but a good education and I hope you will try and get a good education and you will never be sorry for the time you have spent in getting it and when you leave father and mother brothers and sisters you can enjoy many lonesome hours ____ conversing with them.

John I suppose you never saw a Regt. of men on the parade ground formed in line of battle and if you should have the priveledge of seeing one you would be pleased in the appearance of one or two Regts. This morning we were called out for inspection and the ladies presented us with two flags. And they were very nice flags and we gave them three cheers and I suppose you could have heard it for three miles for we all done our best in hallowing, and all things look very nice here this morning and if you were in sight of us you should think the same as we were in our Sunday best and all good looking boys. John if you can get some chestnuts send me one or two dozen when Glen comes back as we have nothing of that kind and if we had we could not get the priveledge of getting out side of guard line to get them.

That is all I believe this time. Well Joseph I guess when you and Manuel are cutting big swells when you get out and when no one sees you well be good boys and be very attentive to your books when you go to school and do all your teacher requires of you to do all he knows what is for your good and I hope you will obey him in all his instructions. Joseph if you see any of the little girls you must not get to close to them as they may squeeze you and keep you from studying your lessons but I think you will be a good boy and the girls will not trouble you and then the teacher will learn and instruct you more and like you better for being a good boy as that is all we should be in school or anywhere else. Well boys I must quit an I want you both to write me a letter and then I will answer it sooner.

New Orleans or Carrelton La. Tuesday Aug. 11th, 63

Brothers and Sisters,

I am seated to day to write a few lines to let you know I am well and most of the boys are well an some of those who were sick are improving in health since we are in this camp as I think this is a very healthy place for camping out on. A green lawn or commons where never no troops were camped since this war commenced. But we are some distance from home or we all think so. But I have no idea how far we are from home and so long as we know nothing about the distance I am satisfied for I am out in the service of Uncle Sam. As we may have some time yet to service for the way they take us round it looks as though we had to go clear through. Well we are able for it we think so at least we have one year in, or nearly so and I expect two more won't more than clear us and then I want to go home on a furlough for a short time. I am down in New Orleans or in sight of that great city and I like the looks of the country very well except one thing and that is it rains every day or night which is a little to much rain for me. It has rained daily since we left Vicksburg and we left there on the evening of the 13th Augt. an we set sail for down the river Mississippi and we did not know where we were going till we landed down here about one mile from where we are camped. We passed the city of Natchez on the morning of the 14th and we haulted only a short time and here I eat a water mellion. The best I ever did eat and I sent some seeds home in a letter to brother Aaron and I want him to devide among you all and let you all try your luck in raising. If I could send you all the things I see I would do so. Here I bought three peaches for one dime and they were peaches worth eating. Well here we left about noon and still sailed on down the river and the next place we passed was Port Hudson on the morning of the 13th but we never as much as made a halt for us to see what for a place was, but from what I could see it was not such a place to take as Vicksburg was for there are no hills round this place as I could see. I saw several forts and they had a nice command of the river and that is the most that thr rebels look at in this country but the yankees will make them get up in dust and howled and hunt a new hole in some new place. Well we passed on down the river and the next place we passed was Baton Rouge the same day(15) and it was a very nice city. The nicest city I have seen sine I left Memphis but this place is the capitol of Louisiana and it is nicely built up for a southern city. But no stop here on down the river we had to go till we reached this place called New Orleans and here we landed on the night of the 15th Aug. about 10 O'clock but we remained on the boat till next morning before we landed off and by the time every thing was unloaded it was noon and untill we loaded the wagons and got out to where we are camped it was night and we just took the open air and earth for our bed. Next morning we pitched our tents and I did some fatigue duty and I feel very well and I have had good health since. Plenty of good things to eat and very cheap. Any thing you wish for or could think of is here. Oranges, lemons, pine apples, coaconuts, figs and all such fruit I have seen grow on trees here in the south. Meat is worth 35 cents a pound at market. I can buy onions from three to five cents a piece nice large ones. Milk is one dime a pint, butter from 40 to 60 cents a pound. Molasses 60 cents a gallon. But sweet cakes are very cheap as cheap as in Ohio and much better I think. Candy is about the same as in Ohio only the fine candy. We draw ham shoulder and pickle meat, flour, rice, beans, coffee, sugar, soap, candles, vinegar, peper, salt, and some other varieties by train. Well we live tolerable well for soldiers in the Army. I do right well when it comes about meal time for eating, as that is about all we live on and do some little duty for good health such as guard duty is about all we do here at this camp. No ____ as yet and I expect we will not have ____ to do as this looks like a civilized country. Se men and women riding along the pike or walk upon the streets makes me feel like I'm home. Some fine looking young ladies down here in south or dixie which I almost have fell in with some and I expect I'll stay as I am used to the climate.

Well Phebe I expect you have seen some of the soldiers before this reaches you. I hope you will have a nice time. ____ N. Poling is gone or started for home I hope you will see him and he can tell you all about us and how we do. I should like to be at home or close there to see how Lieut. _ Thomas spreads himself. Well I expect he is up in the horsereadish like all soldiers do when they are at home or from the Co. or Regt. and tell some long story about what he has done and at the same time all they knew about it was hearsay. I don;t call that much soldier or any thing but ____ things or fill up on ____ ___ such numerous in the army. Plenty in Co. G, 114th Regt. Well all will come right some day. I have nothing new to write as I write you regular but get few letters here of late. Rec'd no letter for three weeks or more from you or any one else for our mail is not regular for some time past. I sent home for some things as I think you can buy them cheaper than I can and if you will send me few things do so and I hope all will be right in the future. Well boys I have not rec'd it as yet. I hope you are enjoy yourselves well and all of those left at home. Tell John Heidlebaughs to write to me and all the rest. Jacob and Henry are in good health. Isaac Blosser is well. I'll write Mr. Blosser a letter and Mr. _oudyshell now soon. Boys write and give me all the news.

Yours in love till death,