Adam Bentz Civil War Letters 15-18

These are letters that Adam Bentz (1842-1886), a Union Civil War Soldier from Meigs County, Ohio, wrote or received in the Civil War era.  Reading them in succession from 1 to 18 gives an interesting story.  William W. Bentz (1913-2001), Adam’s great nephew and my Dad, found these letters in the family Bible of Adam’s parents, Michael (1815-1864) and Mary Harpold (1823-1912) Bentz.  Emma Bentz Hayman (1854-1934) and Matilda Bentz (1857-1944), Adam’s sisters, lived together in Syracuse, Ohio and had custody of the Bible for many years.

Fifteenth Letter September 1, 1864

US General Hospital

Chester Pa

September the 1^st  1864

Dear Affectionate Sister & all the ones

               Your most kind & welcome Letter came to hand this afternoon & I hasten to reply. I was very glad to hear from you & that you were all well.  I am getting along pretty well.  I am not any worser than I stated in my other letters one of the holes in my side is healing up nicely I shall get well pretty soon by taking care of myself.  You need not fear of me dying yet.  Tell GrandMa & Aunt Sally not to cry to much so they can kill that fat Chicken for me when I get home.  Em I cannot send you my Photograph this time but I will bring you one when I come Home, I have sent 5 or 6 letters to you at Pomeroy when Pa goes to Pomeroy he can get them & there will be one in the Box for Clarence Foster tell him to keep it for me until I come.  I expect to leave the 10^th of this month for Pittsburgh then to Wheeling & then get my Discharge then take a Boat for Letart Falls.  You need not write any more letters to me for I wont get them I am very thankful to you for the $1.00 & Post Stamps.  Give my Respects to GrandMa  & Pa & Uncle George & to Aunt Babara Mcdade &Aunt Sally & all enquiring Friends, tell Uncle George I will bring him a big Winter Blouse for him to work in.  I must close for I am tired & Sleepy so good Bye.

               Your Brother

               Adam Bentz

               To Emma Bentz

PS I hope Henry will get home soon.  I thought he was there by this time, if he comes give him my respects, & tell him to stay at home till I come.

               Give my love to my Brothers  & Sisters

                              Adam Bentz

Bill Barnes sends his wishes to you all.

Sixteenth Letter May 1^st, 1865

Hant Island N York

Camp af Hant Barracks

               May 1^st /.65

               Peter Bentz

                              Dear Brother

I am well & hope you are the same.  I have pretty good news to write this time, that is we will be back Home in about 2 weeks or 3.  We are 20 miles from New York City.  Well I don’t like this place one bit for we cant get enough to eat, but I don’t care for that I go to the Sutler & by things to eat. The boys are all glad that the war is over, they are all going to be Discharged as fast as possible.

Peter if you get any letters for me keep them until I come home.  Wont I bore Lewis Raush when I come home Peter tell Ma to put Stamps on that Note of mine.  I sent you a $1,50.00 check, when I was at Columbus did you get it keep it until I come home.  I kept $50.00 fifty Dollars out of 2,00.00.  we don’t get One hundred Dollar Bounty.  I guess Henry will come home now & John too.  I will be so glad if they come home wont you.  Peter I had no chance to get you a knife yet.

               You need not answer this letter.

               So good Bye.

               Adam Bentz

               Only $800.00 for about one Months Soldering

Seventeenth Letter February 24, 1876

Plants Ohio Feb24th/76

Henry Kidderli

Washington DC

Dear Sir

You will no doubt be surprised in receiving a few lines from an old friend of your Camp in the late War, and I hope you have not forgotten me,  As I wish you to fill out this Blank Certificate for me to the best of your Knowledge.

               If you have forgotten me I will state some things that will put you in mind of me.

               You recollect at the Battle of Winchester on the 24^th day of July 1864 that I was wounded in the left side between 7^th & 8^th Ribs, and I suppose you recollect that you sent my Discriptive List to Chester Hospital near Philadelphia.  I do not know whether you recollect of the Veins being bursted in my right leg of which unables me from Traveling but a short distance at a time & the wound in left side affects from work a great deal.  The Veins bursted in my Leg on the Raid from Lynchburg.  Enclosed find 50 cts for fees to be Sworn to then to send Certificate to me.

               Please send as soon as possible.  John Hess & family are & send their regards.

               Hoping you will do the favor for me which I request.  You will Oblige.  Accept my wishes for your future welfare.

               Yours Respectfully

                              Adam Bentz

                              Plants PO

                              Meigs Co.

Ohio

To Capt H Kidderli

               Late Capt Camp H

                              5^th Regt Va V Inf

PS The Wound in my side disables me from doing but little work.

               ABentz

Eighteenth Letter February 22, 1866

Mount Vernon, Indiana 1866

               February the 22

Dear Cousin

I seat my self to inform you that I am well at present and hope you are the same.  I received yours on the 20^th of the month and was pleased to hear from you.  I was so glad to get your Photograph.  I think it is nice you are good looking man if that looks like you Addam.  I wish I had been there.  I would knock off your hat and that segar out of your mouth you art to have had another segar.  I cant rite a very long letter for I don’t know what to rite.  Addam you must come down here and get acquainted with some of the ladies in posey some of the ladies are as pretty ladies as ever wore a dress, and the boy her turn to sugar and you know that they are sweet Addam.  I haven’t got any of my Photograph at present but when I get my picture taking I will send it to you.  Did you get Valentine I didn’t get any this year you must rite and let me kno whether Smith Hester is up there or where he is Pa is as busy as a bee getting out logs for the saw mill he is a going to have 100 hundred logs sawed up for lumber this spring we live close to Blacks Meeting house and tolerable close to a school there is a protracted meeting begins tonight and will last one week if nothing happens the Welbern School house is about two miles from here Charley is ma’s baby and he is three years old and he is as pretty as at Pink Pa hant shelled his corn yet he has to shell and sack his corn and deliver it on the Bank Pa put most of his ground in wheat this year he has clover and grass sown we have tolerable good orchard we have got a nice young orchard the trees bore some last year Addam you must rite soon and rite a letter as long as your mothers close line this paper has got the yellow ganders that is what makes it so bad tell cousin Petter to rite some and then I will rite to him I am great had to receive letters and send letters it does me more good to get a letter than to eat sugar no more at present but remain your affectionate Cousin until death.

               Mr Addam Bentz

                                             When this you see

                                             Remember me

                              Mahala A Justice

Telll aunt Mary that Mother will

rite to her before long and aunt

Sallie to Father and mother

went to the sale today

miss m a Justice is my name

And single is my life

Mahala A Justice Ind