Item #42427 HELENA, ARK. MARCH 27TH "64. DEAR COUSIN HATT, YOUR KIND LETTER OF THE 9TH INST CAME TO HAND. . . WE ARE ON DUTY MORE OR LESS NEARLY EVERY DAY, IN FACT WE HAVE HAD BUT LITTLE LEISURE TIME SINCE WE CAME HERE. THEY HAVE KEPT US CHASING GUERRILLAS OR STANDING PICKET NEAR ALL THE TIME. I TELL YOU HATT WE LOOK FORWARD WITH A GOOD DEAL OF IMPATIENCE TO THE 7TH OF AUGUST NEXT. I DON'T KNOW AS IT IS HARDLY RIGHT FOR ME TO SO ARDENTLY DESIRE A DISCHARGE FROM THE SERVICE OF MY COUNTRY WHILE SHE IS STILL IN NEED OF SOLDIERS BUT I CANT HELP IT. . . I HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF HARD SERVICE. BUT MY PATRIOTISM IS NOT COOLED A WHIT, NEITHER IS MY FAITH IN THE JUSTICE OF OUR CAUSE. . . THERE HAS BEEN SOME VERY IMPORTANT MILITARY CHANGES LATELY BUT I HAVE NOT TIME THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS THEM. WITHOUT A MOMENTS HESITATION I CAN TELL YOU WHO IS MY CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT. IT IS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, FIRST, LAST, & ALL THE TIME. PERHAPS HE IS NOT MORE ABLE THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS YOU NAMED, AND PERHAPS HIS POLICY IS NO BETTER, BUT I WOULDN'T LIKE IT CHANGED. IT IS THE CHANGES OF COMMANDERS AND POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST DETRIMENT TO THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. Soldier's Civil War Letter.
HELENA, ARK. MARCH 27TH "64. DEAR COUSIN HATT, YOUR KIND LETTER OF THE 9TH INST CAME TO HAND. . . WE ARE ON DUTY MORE OR LESS NEARLY EVERY DAY, IN FACT WE HAVE HAD BUT LITTLE LEISURE TIME SINCE WE CAME HERE. THEY HAVE KEPT US CHASING GUERRILLAS OR STANDING PICKET NEAR ALL THE TIME. I TELL YOU HATT WE LOOK FORWARD WITH A GOOD DEAL OF IMPATIENCE TO THE 7TH OF AUGUST NEXT. I DON'T KNOW AS IT IS HARDLY RIGHT FOR ME TO SO ARDENTLY DESIRE A DISCHARGE FROM THE SERVICE OF MY COUNTRY WHILE SHE IS STILL IN NEED OF SOLDIERS BUT I CANT HELP IT. . . I HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF HARD SERVICE. BUT MY PATRIOTISM IS NOT COOLED A WHIT, NEITHER IS MY FAITH IN THE JUSTICE OF OUR CAUSE. . . THERE HAS BEEN SOME VERY IMPORTANT MILITARY CHANGES LATELY BUT I HAVE NOT TIME THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS THEM. WITHOUT A MOMENTS HESITATION I CAN TELL YOU WHO IS MY CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT. IT IS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, FIRST, LAST, & ALL THE TIME. PERHAPS HE IS NOT MORE ABLE THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS YOU NAMED, AND PERHAPS HIS POLICY IS NO BETTER, BUT I WOULDN'T LIKE IT CHANGED. IT IS THE CHANGES OF COMMANDERS AND POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST DETRIMENT TO THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
HELENA, ARK. MARCH 27TH "64. DEAR COUSIN HATT, YOUR KIND LETTER OF THE 9TH INST CAME TO HAND. . . WE ARE ON DUTY MORE OR LESS NEARLY EVERY DAY, IN FACT WE HAVE HAD BUT LITTLE LEISURE TIME SINCE WE CAME HERE. THEY HAVE KEPT US CHASING GUERRILLAS OR STANDING PICKET NEAR ALL THE TIME. I TELL YOU HATT WE LOOK FORWARD WITH A GOOD DEAL OF IMPATIENCE TO THE 7TH OF AUGUST NEXT. I DON'T KNOW AS IT IS HARDLY RIGHT FOR ME TO SO ARDENTLY DESIRE A DISCHARGE FROM THE SERVICE OF MY COUNTRY WHILE SHE IS STILL IN NEED OF SOLDIERS BUT I CANT HELP IT. . . I HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF HARD SERVICE. BUT MY PATRIOTISM IS NOT COOLED A WHIT, NEITHER IS MY FAITH IN THE JUSTICE OF OUR CAUSE. . . THERE HAS BEEN SOME VERY IMPORTANT MILITARY CHANGES LATELY BUT I HAVE NOT TIME THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS THEM. WITHOUT A MOMENTS HESITATION I CAN TELL YOU WHO IS MY CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT. IT IS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, FIRST, LAST, & ALL THE TIME. PERHAPS HE IS NOT MORE ABLE THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS YOU NAMED, AND PERHAPS HIS POLICY IS NO BETTER, BUT I WOULDN'T LIKE IT CHANGED. IT IS THE CHANGES OF COMMANDERS AND POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST DETRIMENT TO THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

HELENA, ARK. MARCH 27TH "64. DEAR COUSIN HATT, YOUR KIND LETTER OF THE 9TH INST CAME TO HAND. . . WE ARE ON DUTY MORE OR LESS NEARLY EVERY DAY, IN FACT WE HAVE HAD BUT LITTLE LEISURE TIME SINCE WE CAME HERE. THEY HAVE KEPT US CHASING GUERRILLAS OR STANDING PICKET NEAR ALL THE TIME. I TELL YOU HATT WE LOOK FORWARD WITH A GOOD DEAL OF IMPATIENCE TO THE 7TH OF AUGUST NEXT. I DON'T KNOW AS IT IS HARDLY RIGHT FOR ME TO SO ARDENTLY DESIRE A DISCHARGE FROM THE SERVICE OF MY COUNTRY WHILE SHE IS STILL IN NEED OF SOLDIERS BUT I CANT HELP IT. . . I HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF HARD SERVICE. BUT MY PATRIOTISM IS NOT COOLED A WHIT, NEITHER IS MY FAITH IN THE JUSTICE OF OUR CAUSE. . . THERE HAS BEEN SOME VERY IMPORTANT MILITARY CHANGES LATELY BUT I HAVE NOT TIME THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS THEM. WITHOUT A MOMENTS HESITATION I CAN TELL YOU WHO IS MY CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT. IT IS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, FIRST, LAST, & ALL THE TIME. PERHAPS HE IS NOT MORE ABLE THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS YOU NAMED, AND PERHAPS HIS POLICY IS NO BETTER, BUT I WOULDN'T LIKE IT CHANGED. IT IS THE CHANGES OF COMMANDERS AND POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST DETRIMENT TO THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

Helena, Arkansas: 1864. Single leaf of lined paper, 7-3/4" x 12-1/4," entirely in ink manuscript. Verso and recto are filled with text, which continues along the sides and margins. Old folds, Very Good. With the original torn, orange envelope addressed to "Miss Hattie ---- Painesville, Lake Co. Ohio."

A most interesting Letter, not only for its author's firm expression of support for Lincoln, but also for its honest portrayal of the attitude of a loyal, brave soldier: patriotic and risking his life, but eager for an honorable discharge and return to civilian life.
Accompanying notes attribute authorship to Sergeant Amos W. Kibbee of B Company, 1st Batt., 15th Illinois Cavalry. However, neither this Letter nor the accompanying envelope provides identifying information. But Kibbee was a prolific writer in the War. His letters have been actively collected. Many of them are written to his cousin Harriett [Hattie] Tuttle, some of them while he was stationed in Helena, Arkansas at the time he wrote this one.
Kibbee fought at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg and elsewhere. Item #42427

Price: $450.00

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