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Letters of Francis William Kimble
14th Iowa Infantry, Company 'B'
Presented by the Iowa Civil War Site
Letter number thirty-six
Memphis, Tenn. June 26, 1864
Dear Mother, It is with much pleasure that I take up my pen to drop you a few
lines in answer to your ever kind and welcome letter that I had the pleasure
of receiving and reading no longer since than Friday afternoon. I was glad
indeed to get it for I was looking for it and had been for a day or two. I am
quite glad to hear that you are all well and hope this may find you as yours
left you. Well Mother my old Regt came up to Memphis a few days after I wrote
to you last. They went into camp two miles and a half back of town. They had
a large nice camp but they soon had to leave it. Gen. A.H.Smith has gone out
on a raid and our Regt had to go along. But as luck would have it they got 4
months pay before they started. I went out to camp and stayed all day with
them before they left. The letter with the 5 dollars in I got at the Regt
Friday. I suppose it got delayed in going through or I would of got it
sooner. I have my descriptive here at the hospital. Next Friday is muster day
in our hospital. I will be mustered for 6 months pay. About one hundred men
left our hospital yesterday for their Regts. I expect that our boys has gone
out after old Forrest and his command for he has been a doing a great deal of
devilment for a few days past. Mother I got so that I feel pretty near like
myself again. I have been a doing light duty for 3 or 4 days. I am a giving
medicine in ward C. It ain't hard work but I don't like it. It is too
confining for me. I am going to get on guard if I can. I would like to be
with my Regt if it wasn't so warm. Hot weather and woolen clothes don't agree
with me very well. You wanted to know if I would be at home this fall. I
can't tell you anything about it for we have so many stories afoot. Some say
we are getting out this fall and some says we will have to serve 3 years from
the day we enlisted in the state service. If they do that I won't be out till
one year from the 15th of Oct next. But I kinda think that we will get out
according to agreement. I would sorta kinda get out then, anyhow. Whether I
do or not remains to be seen. I have seen Bill Holcomb several times. I
believe that I told you when I wrote last that the Graybeard Reft was here.
If I didn't they hadn't come yet. I seen John Bunn day before yesterday. He
was all ready to march. He says Sate hain't got the money he sent yet and I
am afraid that she never will get it. Do you know what Regt Jerry Sutton is
in. There is several 100 day Regt's from Iowa at Memphis. It may be that he
is here. Dad if you was here you could make money fishing. Dressed fish is 20
cts a pound, but other things is dear accordingly. Eggs is only 50 cts per
doz. I am sorrow that you had your blanket and sheet stole but I can not cry
for you had no business to go away from home. If it wasn't for that I would
spend the last cent I could raise or he would pay for them. I always had my
opinion of brother W and since you tell me this I still have a better one. I
expect you had better let the thing rest as it is unless you can get at it
right. I believe that I am through so good nite Mother. Francis William
Kimble
Memphis, Tenn June 27, 1864
A few words to sister E.E.
Sesh flies is so darn bad. Eliza the infernal that I can hardly write at all
but I must do the best I can. I wish that you could be in the city of Memphis
a day, just long enough to see some of the southern foppery. It would do you
good to see some of the bells jump and strut about the streets. Eliza I am
getting along in the hospital very well at present. I have 62 men to give
medicine to. Well I will have to cut my writing short for dinner is about
ready and I want to go out in the town after dinner. I did make a mistake
about the picture of mine with my whiskers on. Just as I went to pack it in
the box one of the boys got a hold of it and begged so hard for it that I had
to let him have it. I got his in return. His name is Henry Graham. I have
gone over to Co. E of the Graybeards several times and took dinner with.
Holcomb got a letter from Charles Holcomb a short time ago. He said the
Mexicans destroyed over 5000 dollars worth of property for him. Eliza I guess
E.R.C has played off on me at last. She didn't get the letter I wrote or else
she don't want to answer. I must close for today. You and Mother will please
excuse my short letter and I will do better next time so no more today. To
E.E. Kimble from F. W. Kimble
Transcribed and submitted by great great niece
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Iowa In the Civil War
