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Letters of Francis William Kimble
14th Iowa Infantry, Company 'B'
Presented by the Iowa Civil War Site
Letter number nine.
Benton Barricks St. Louis, MO April th 8th
Dear Mother, I take this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you
know where I am and how am getting along. Well Mother we have left our old
camp. We got paid up to the 1st of January. On Friday and Saturday we had
dress parade and we got orders to leave on Sunday. We packed Sunday morning
and about 10 o'clock we bade farewell to our old camp that had sheltered us
through the winter. We went aboard at 12 o'clock and at one we pushed off
with multitudes of citizens cheering us out of hearing. The next morning we
landed at Keokuk. I took that loop? ashore. We soon left with the bow down
stream. I seen many a house deserted with the man in the sesh army and the
women gone. We landed at St. Louis Tues morning at 7 o'clock. We marched to
Benton barricks before noon. That night we signed the payroll and on
Wednesday we got 2 months pay. Mother I would have wrote sooner but I thought
that I would get an answer from that letter that I sent you.I got a letter
from Sarah a few days ago and answered it. That is all the letters that I
have got since I came here. I wrote three letters the same time I wrote to
you and if I had answered it right away I would of got it before now. I got
an answer from one letter in 5 days after I wrote it. Mother if you have not
got that box, you will find it at the depot at Stumptown. Well Mother you
will find an envelope with $30 in it at Stumptown. I put it in the express
office this morning. If you get it you can use it if you need it. I have paid
the express charge on it. This paper in this letter I want you to take care
of it. Well Mother I dressed in citizens clothes and went to town Monday
afternoon and stayed till Tues. noon. I was at a grand concert Monday and
Tuesday nights. The money goes to support the sick and wounded soldiers. I
went both nights with the Graybeards. I seen all that I knew but Been and
Holcomb. They are down the river. Well mother I seen 1500 sesh soldiers in
the military prison. The Grays is a guarding them. They stand guard every
other night. Mother you must excuse all bad writing for we have just got
orders to be ready to leave in the morning. The company is packing up now.
Mother I would have payed the freight on that box if I had knowed how much to
pay. Mother I want you the next time you write to write all the news. Mother
I seen Jack Bunn. I must close so good bye for today. Write soon Direct your
letter to Co. B, 14 Regt. Iowa Vol St. Louis. MO or in the field. From your
son F.W. Kimble to Mary A. Kimble
Transcribed and submitted by great great niece
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Iowa In the Civil War
