Letter from Orlando L. French to Lydia French

Indianapolis Indiana

Sunday Sept 28th 1862

Dear Lydia,

We have arrived at this place, got here at one o'clock; without delay or accident, but now we are obliged to lay over until one o'clock, to night, the cause of it is that this road has sent down since last evening. Eight Regiments and their locomotives have all gone down, on this section of the road, and we cannot move until they return. Our journey this far has been devoid of incident, and also of anything of particular interest, but I will mention the most noticable features of our journey.

We arrived in Chicago about four o'clock yesterday, and immediately transfered our goods to the Michigan Central, but did not moove until nine o'clock.

We arranged ourselves in the most comfortable position, and tried to sleep and with some success. I think I slept half of the night Which was quite as well as I expected.

[Upside-down in top margin:] Perhaps you had better send me a dozen postage stamps when you write. If I mail this before I write more, you need not mind writing until you hear from me again, which you will do at my earliest opportunity [?]

2

We went direct to Michigan City, and were there switched on to this road, running direct to Louisville, or the town on this side of the river.

We awoke this morning finding ourselves passing through a large tract of very low and marshy ground with here and there a squatter, and once in a while a little village, but they were few and far between

At nine o'clock, we reached Lafayette a pleasantly located town and one of considerable importance, containing, I should judge about five thousand inhabitants

This country, after having left this place presented a very different appearance, being more uneven, traversed accasionly by small streams, and the most of the way quite heavily wooded, with beech, maple, oak and [Lynn?], resembling in a great degree the wooded fields of New England, and here we found greater evidence of Enterprise, and comparitive wealth but the majority of the houses were of logs and very small, also some indications of a few old settlers, in the shape of full grown orchards, which are now hanging full.

We came through one large opening in

in the timber which was all planted to corn and contained, at the least calculation one thousand acres; It was ripe but very small, and looked very innocent of either plow or hoe, since it was put into the ground, -- I saw quite a number of small fields of winter wheat, which was out of the ground about two inches

This town is the capitol of the state and is decidedly a pretty place, and is said to contain about ten thousand people

There are some very fine buildings here and altogether the town wears an air of neatness, order, and refinement, very pleasing to the eye, there are here one regiment of infantry and a part of one of the cavelry, and also one battery

It is very gratifying to us soldiers to witness the manifestations of patriotism and gratitude, that have been given us along the whole line, expressing itself in a variety of ways, and it occurs to us as a little singular, that the warmest and most enthusiastic reception is met with from the ladies and we can account for it in no other way than that the men feel a little ashamed that they are not with us, and are inclined to hang their head

I anticipated a very unpleasant time riding in the car with our goods, but I found it decidedly preferable to riding on a coach, for in here we can change our positions to please ourselves and last evening we arranged two cot beds so that we were quite comfortable

We are now one hundred & sixteen miles from Michigan City, and one hundred & ten to our place of destination

The remainder of our journey will be made in six hours after start if nothing hapens -- we will have to restup at the river and go over to Louisville in a ferry boat. -- I shall mail this before we reach there if I have an oppertunity)

I am well and feeling first rate with the exception of being tired.

I realized on parting with you on this mission --so eventful as it must be, and of such an uncertain termination, emotions entirely new to me. -- still I do not regret that I have enlisted and never have for a moment but I find it calls up a different sett of thoughts and feelings, as yet hardly definable. -- I wish you to make yourself as comfortable and hapy as possible and borrow no trouble from what the future has in store for us, for I am not, but shall do my duty and take it as it comes, be it whatever it may. -- You must take this letter without revision, and I hope to have something to say in my next of greater interest. -- It is reported here that Burl is now in Louisville and has in camp there one hundred & fifty thousand men, we suppose he only waiting the arrival of the 75th when he will clean out what few "rebs" there are, short order.

It is now after nine PM and we shall turn in, so good night

Your good for nothing husband

Orl French