From Almeda and Roxanne Carhart There are only a few letter “from home” that were preserved along with Lu Carhart’s letters. This one gives a good picture of life in Central Ohio in the winter in 1865. Both Lu’s sister Almeda, and his mother Roxanne wrote giving news from home that meant so much to Lu.
Berlin, O March 5, 65
Dear Brother I now sit down too answer your most welcome missive that we received last night. we are all well at present and hope these few lines will find you the same. It is Sunday and Father & Mother have gone to Cheshire to the funeral of Mrs. Croline Janes. she died yesterday of Consumption she has not been sick very long. all the people about here are well for all I know. Our school was out yesterday it was let out because it was so mudy the Scholars could not get there very mudy here this Spring. So the roads are scarcely traveled at all It was froze up this morning so pa & ma went over there to funeral this morning on foot.
Wednesday Morning Mar8th
Luw it is very plesant this morning. the birds are singing very pretty and every thing looks lovely. the mud dried up so our school commenced again Monday.. Pa has opened the sugar Bush, and we have made considerable sugar. Pa hates to tramp trhough the mud, but he wants the Sugar.. Luw it is almost School time and I will have to quit writing and fix to go. I am glad to know you can stay at the Hospital if you like to stay there. Orve wants to know what color your horses are that you drive.
On the other side of Almeda’s letter, from Roxanne Carhart
it is Sunday evening March 5 and I sit Down to drop a line (to) my absent son far far way in the south you never seemed more near to me than you do this evening I never saw a Congregation so deeply affected as they were today by remarks that Charles Caral Janes made today when he was taking leave of his Mother he says oh Mother must you be buried and I never speak to you again and it seemed it would break his heart and thought how many brave boys has taken leave of their Mothers never to speak to them again but I hopw it will not be your lot, you have been spared thus far and I pray God to spare you that you may come home again try and take the best care of yourself and stay where you are if you can and not be taken by the gariles they are verry hard on our boys they shot a gang of thirty a few days ago they took 7 out of a southern jail and shot them and throwed the bodies into the river I belive satern is let loose among the Rebs to do his will the prisen whare Will Mc was (Danville) is burnt to the ground Columbia is burnt Sherman left a guard and told them if the citizens fired on them to burn the place and leave. like good boys obayed orders that the way to fetch them under Sherman sweeps every thing before him toward Willmington Charleston Braceville and a great many more places has gone up to numerous to mention Richmon will soon fall oh what a fall to the Rebs they say old jeff is blind in one eyes and cant see but little with the other I think the whole south is blind and all will fall into the ditch togather You say you have a good bed I would like to know what a good bed is please inform me I would like to hear how many Papers have you received since you have been their. we have sent six after this I shall write on the paper so if the wrapper gets off it will go I shall call you a pretty good scholer if you read all of my letters tell Will Flagg that his Grandmother is to Boevns (?) she had a letter from Wated (?) last week his folks is well from Mother goodby