This letter was written by 28 year-old Corp. George Gaddis Myers (1835-1914) of Co. C, 138th Ohio Volunteers. George mentions two of his comrades in this letter, 24 year-old Pvt. Samuel Kennedy, and 26 year-old Pvt. William (“Wil”) Davis. All three were mustered into the service on 2 May 1864 to serve 100 days in the defenses at Washington D. C. while Grant used those troops formerly garrisoned there in his Overland Campaign.
George was the son of Henry Myers (b. 1810) and Ann [?] (b. 1810) of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio. His father was an English emigrant; his mother was born in Delaware. George was working as a paper hanger in Cincinnati when he married Sarah Alcinda Riggle (b. 1838) in 1857.
This Regiment was mustered into the United States service on the 14th of May, 1864, and was ordered immediately to Washington City. Arriving on May 22nd, it was placed in the defenses south of the Potomac, with headquarters in Fort Albany, and detachments in Forts Craig and Tillinghast.
TRANSCRIPTION
Camp South Mountain, Virginia
May 19, 1864
Dear Wife,
I now sit down to let you know that I am well at present and hope to find you all the same. We are camped in Cures [?]. We will be here for some time for the Rebels have burnt the bridge at Harpers Ferry which is twenty miles from here. We are going to Washington as soon as the bridge is fixed and then I will write again. You need not wait till you receive another letter.
One of our boys was taken prisoner last night by going too far out. There is plenty of Rebels here. We had a nice time going over the mountains which took us two days. It is thirty miles to the top of Cheat Mountain.
Tell the folks that Sam Kennedy and Will Davis is well at present. Nothing more at present.
Yours respectfully, — George G. Myers
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