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Head Quarters Co. “A” 129th Ills.
Goldsboro, N.C., March 28th 1865
My Dear Wife

The mail leaves at 4 P.M., & I must spare a few minutes from my papers to write to you. I recd. 4 letters from you yesterday, one from Hannah [Culver] and one from Cousin Electa Wallace, Mansfield, Ohio, with Photograph enclosed.¹ I dare not take the time to answer your letters in full; they were very interesting, indeed. The latest bears date Febr. 29th. I hope you are enjoying yourself. I should have enjoyed the Communion Season very much. I earnestly hope all the converts may prove faithful.

You were not more surprised at Nannie Barrett’s joining our Church than I was when she told me her intention. She spoke to me just before I left the church the last evening; I advised her to study the discipline & then do as she thought best. I hope Charlie Murphy may not suffer from the dog’s having bitten him, yet I have very little faith in a mad stone.²

I am sorry to say that I kept no diary, but I will try & write up one the first leisure time I have. I cannot imagine wherein your “married life has been a failure” except in the realization of that enjoyment you anticipated.³ The pleasures of a home & its comforts we have known but a few weeks during our married life. It is hardly fair to conclude that all is a failure. I trust God will spare us for the enjoyment of many years of peace and prosperity when we may forget past sorrows in present enjoyments. Your married life has been experienced by very few in this country, so much of sorrow and so little of comfort.

I am glad to hear that the church has secured a new cabinet organ. I agreed to give $10 if necessary.

The boys are all well as usual. We are drawing new clothing, & the men will soon be comfortably clad. Quite a number have been barefoot, some for a couple of weeks, & must have suffered greatly.⁴ The wounded are getting along finely. We have learned nothing of Henry Polk yet; I will write to his father to-day.

Mother’s health is much improved. Hannah says she wrote to you. Green is flourishing & would like to see you & the baby.

I cannot tell what our prospects may be for getting home in June; it is doubtful. Tell J. W. Smith that I could not get to Savannah, Ga.; therefore I did not attend to his business. There are a great many things that I wish to write about & will in a few days if we are not hurried off. I hope Howard is entirely well. Kiss him for me. Remember me kindly to all our friends. Accept much love & may God bless & keep you.

Your affect. Husband
J. F. Culver

1. Electa Wallace of Mansfield, Ohio, was a relative of the Dunmires’. [↩]
2. Charlie Murphy was the 8-year-old son of William and Adaline Murphy, whose farm adjoined Mrs. Culver’s father’s property in Pontiac Township. Eighth Census, Livingston County, State of Illinois, NA. [↩]
3. Mary Culver in one of her letters had complained that her “married life has been a failure,” which elicited these reassurances from her devoted husband. [↩]
4. The regimental historian wrote, “New clothes arrived this evening and were distributed, and it seems as though General Sherman did not intend to remain long, as the rumor of an advance was current.” Grunert, History of the 129th Illinois, p. 224. General Sherman on April 1 reported that the “suffering of the troops for want of shoes” could not be blamed on a want of foresight on the part of his chief quartermaster, but could be attributed to “mud banks, storms at sea, difficulties of navigation, &c.” O. R., Ser. I, Vol.XLVII, pt. III, p. 29. [↩]