The Letters of Pvt. John C. Love (1861–62)

This page presents the surviving letters of Pvt. John C. Love, Company C,
9th Michigan Infantry. Written from West Point, Muldraugh’s Hill, and the surrounding
defenses during the winter of 1861–62, these letters offer a rare enlisted-man’s view of
the construction of Fort Duffield, the sickness that swept the camp, and the daily life
of young soldiers far from home.

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About These Letters

Pvt. John C. Love was twenty-one years old when he arrived at West Point, Kentucky, in
October 1861. Unlike the officers’ reports, Love’s letters were written for his parents
in Michigan and provide an unfiltered view of camp life, sickness, construction work,
and the emotional strain of the winter encampment.

These letters survive only as transcriptions; the original handwritten pages have not
yet been located. If the originals are discovered or donated, they will be added to
this archive.

The letters are presented here in chronological order with:

• Original Transcription — faithful to spelling and punctuation
• Readable Version — lightly edited for clarity
• Context Notes — historical background (light‑blue boxes)

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Timeline: Pvt. Love at Fort Duffield

• October 21, 1861: 9th Michigan departs Jeffersonville for West Point.
• Late October: Regiment encamps near Salt River; construction begins.
• November 1: First surviving letter; camp conditions described.
• November 7: Work intensifies on Mistletoe Hill fortifications.
• November 20: Regiment moves to Muldraugh’s Hill; trench digging.
• December 1: Severe weather; sickness spreads; tents collapse in gale.
• December 20: Vaccination ordered; fort nearly complete.
• January 4, 1862: Company C receives marching orders; moves south.

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Letter Index

• November 1, 1861 — West Point
• November 7, 1861 — West Point
• November 20, 1861 — Muldraugh’s Hill
• December 1, 1861 — West Point
• December 20, 1861 — Muldraugh’s Hill
• January 4, 1862 — Muldraugh’s Hill / En Route South

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Letter: November 1, 1861 — West Point, Kentucky

Original Transcription

West Point Kentucky Nov. 1 '61

Dear Parents

It has been some time since I have writen to you. I have had no time to write much -- This 
afternoon it is raining for the first since we have been here, The weather has been remarkably 
fine and warm since we have been in Kentucky- We left Jeffersonville on the 21st for west point 
which is forty miles down the river Ohio. We embarked on bord of a large river boat such as I 
never saw before It has two decks, and the water wheel is on the hind end of the boat.

The boat left the landing at nine in the morning and went down the river at a rapid rate until 
we arrived at Louisville here we made a halt for the band to play-- leaving Louisville we had to 
go through the ship canal which is about four miles long. Upon the Kentucky side it is generally 
level, But upon the Indiana side it is one of the wildest countries that I ever saw. The hills 
are allmost like mountains they are so steep and high. The sides of some of them are white with 
limestone.

We are encamped in an orchard that belongs to a man in the secession army. It is upon the bank 
of Salt river and about half a mile from the Ohio. There is one regiment from Indiana here and 
Kellogs cavelry is, on its way to join us. General Buckner is within forty miles from us with 
fifty thousand troops though we doe not expect, and atack. We have taken six spies and got them 
in the gard house. Forty of Company I's men went down the river last night - they returned this 
morning bringing with them two seccessionist wone of which has been in the rebel army.

The soil of Kentucky is clay. I have not seen sand enough since I arrived here to fill a pint 
cup. I have got pretty much over my cold and I feel better than I did when I left Fort Wayne. 
Anson is sick with the feaver though I think he will get along in a few days. Henry Redner is 
sick the Doctor says he has got the measles, he is pretty sick. Miron Wade has been sick but he 
is getting quite smart again. But I must close I will write to you again as soon as I can.

From your only son
John C Love

P.S. Direct your letters to John C Love 9th Michigan Infantry Company C, West Point Kentucky

J. C. Love

Readable Version

Context Notes

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Letter: November 7, 1861 — West Point, Kentucky

Original Transcription

West Point, Kentucky, Nov. 7th, 1861

Dear Parents.

It is with pleasure that I drop you a few lines to let you know that I am stil alive and well 
and hope these few lines will find toll enjoying the same. I had hoped of receiving a letter 
from you ere this or some of them that I have writen to. But it takes some time to send a 
letter home and get an answer way down in this unsivalised country. Kentucky and its 
inhabitance are fifty years behind the age. They, are the most ignorant and inferior people 
that I ever saw so far as My observation has extended.

Today it is as warm as it is in Michigan in-september. We haye had but one rainy day since we 
have been here. There is two hundred men from our regiment and two hundred from the Indiana 
regiment to work upon Misletoe HiIl, they are throwing up breast works. They are fortifying it 
as fast as possible to be in readiness for General Buckner Swares that he will take Dinner in 
Louisville in less than four weeks.

He is down the river about forty miles from u and he has but two ways to get to Louisville, one 
is up the river past us and the other is on the South of us about sixty miles. We haye six 
cannon with us which will be placed upon the hill as soon as possible. Then we shal have a 
commanding range of the ohio of four miles and all the roads this side of the hill.

Anson has been sick about a week but is a grate deal better today. Henry-Redner has been sick 
with the fever, he is not so well today though I think he will get along after a little. There 
would be but few sick if we had good water to drink, we use river water to drink and for 
cooking. Sam Grham is the cook for the company and is a good one.

We have hurd that Charleston and Fort Sumpter has been taken, but doe not know for surtain 
whether it has or not.

I wish that you could send me the tribune after you have done reading it, you can put a rapper 
around it. It will cost you but a penny a paper and it would doe me a grate deal of good- I 
have hurd since I commenced writing that we shall move acrost the river tomorrow or next day.

I want you to write as soon as you receive this. And tell the folks to write to me if they 
think any thing of me, they have more time to write than I have, Good by for this time.

From your obedient Son.
John. C. Love

Direct your letters to John C Love Company C 9th Michigan
Infantry, West Point Kentucky.

J.C. Love

Readable Version

Context Notes

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Letter: November 20, 1861 — Muldraugh’s Hill

Original Transcription

West Point Ky. Nov. 20th 1861.

Dear Parents

It is with pleasure that I sit myself down after my days work is done to write you a few lines 
to let you know that I am well and hope these few hasty lines will find you all enjoying the 
same blessings. The boys that went from there are all well except Henry Redner, and I think 
that he will get along after a little. Anson has had the teeth ake tonight very bad, he has got 
so that he is able to work again.

There is five in this tent writing at present to their parents and friends and it is so every 
night and day that they are not at work. We moved form the place that we were when I wrote you 
last, we are camped now upon Muldroughs hill, just back of the Fort. We have all been at work 
diging the intrenchments. There were two hundred men of the first Wisconsin Reg't at work with 
us. But they will soon leave us to go to Elizabethtown.

There has six regiments passed this point within the last two weeks for the same place. The 
report is quite current here that General Buckner has been surounded. Thoug we ,cannot tell any 
thing about the reports that-is sirculated here.

I received a paper from you or Sam and I doe not know which, but it was thankfully received 
whoever sent it. Tell Sam that I will write to him as soon as I get time. Tell the folks around 
there that I like Soldiering much better than I expected, and stand it first rate yet. The 
weather is quite warm and pleasant here.

I sent you a map of our encampment to show the position that we were in. When you write I want 
.you to let me know whether you received it or not. And write about the weather. I received a 
letter from Aunt Hariet and will send it in this letter, I wrote to her yesterday.

Father I think you had better -keep Frank to work for you as long as you can. but I must close 
for the drumms are beating for rool call. Write as soon as you receive thiS and tell the folks 
to write. Yours Truly

John C. Love

P.S. Direct to John C Loye Company C 9th Michigan Infantry West Point Kentucky.

John

Readable Version

Context Notes

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Letter: December 1, 1861 — West Point, Kentucky

Original Transcription

West Point, Kentucky December 1

Dear Father And Mother

I received a letter from you Friday and was glad to hear from home once more, and to hear that 
you were all well. I was very glad of the postage stamps that you sent me for I was out and 
could not get them here very wel. I enjoy pretty 'good. Health and feel first rate.. The boys 
are all feeling good except those that are in the Hospital. There is not quite as-many Sick as 
there was two weeks ago: They are getting over the measles and when they are well there will be 
but little Sickness.

Henry Redner was taken to the hospital yesterday. He has been sick about 5 weeks: end is pretty 
hard up, though I think he will get along now after a little, He is a first rate boy, but is one 
that can never be a good soldier for this reason. He is one that is never contented and is 
allways homesick.

The weather here has been very nasty and rainy for the last ten days. A week ago last 
friday'morning it commenced raining and at noon it commenced blowing and blowed a perfect gale 
it tore our tent down twice so that we had to take every thing that we had out until we could 
sow and ty it up again. Friday night it commenced Snowing and it Snowed about an inch deep and 
yesterday before night it was all gone, today it is quite warm and would be very pleasant if 
it wasent so mudy.

Yesterday there was a grand review of the Regiment but as there was nothing of any importance 
happened I will not dwell upon the subject, Here I am interuped by the call for dress parade. 
The parade ground is upon-a hill about a quarter of a mile west of us.

Major Hopkins of the Fusileers Regiment came into our camp about eight o'clock last night and 
staid with Captain Deland until two this afternoon when he returned to Louisville. He, came here 
to receive orders from General Buel who makes his head quarters at Louisville.

There is some talk that we shall move in a week or to. But I think we shall stay here some time; 
though -I should like to go about two hundred miles farther south. If we stay here this winter 
we shall build some log houses to quarter in, There is about fifty acres of timber slashed down 
and there is about 50 acres more to cut, We have good water but it is a great deal of trouble to 
get it up the hill, the water comes from springs in a deep raviene to the south of us.




A word about our arms. The first that we had were old Belgian muskets. They were examined 
and condemned. Then we got some new guns of the same kind, and they proved to be very poor 
guns. In a day or two we receive the musket. We made a fireplace in our tent today. But we 
sleep warm every night since we received our new blankets.



Anson and Horace have written some to you and send it with this. I will send you some verses 
that an old woman got up that bakes corn bread for the soldiers. But I must close this letter.


Yours Truly,
From an honest boy,
John C. Love


P.S. Write soon and let me know if you got the money that I sent to Cooper and Thompson’s Bank. 
Tell the folks to write and give my love to all enquiring friends.


I did draw the map that I sent you.
J. C. Love

West Point, Kentucky, December 20, 1861

Dear Father and Mother,

I received a letter and three papers today from you, and was glad to hear that you were all 
well. I got a letter from Chauncy M. Crego Wednesday, and he wrote that Mother’s health wasn’t 
very good this winter. I haven’t been very well for the last week. I took a heavy cold last 
Saturday and it settled all over me so that I was so lame it was hard work for me to get around. 
So Tuesday I commenced taking the medicine which I got from Doctor Jones, and it has helped me 
so that today I feel quite like myself again.

I suppose what makes me some lamer than I should be is that last week I was vaccinated and it 
has begun to work. It was reported here that they were having the smallpox in Louisville, and 
the Colonel ordered every man in the regiment to be vaccinated. Anson and Horace are both well 
and enjoy themselves first rate; they both send their best respects to you all.

Thaddeus Vining has been sick with the fever three or four days, but I think he is better today. 
Anson Lewis has been sick in the hospital about a week with the fever, but this morning I hear 
he is some better. Levant Bangs is at the hospital yet; I haven’t seen him in some time, though 
I heard the other day that his foot was gaining slowly.

The doctors of this regiment are such that I shouldn’t like to have them doctor me. They give 
one kind of medicine for every disease. The medicines most commonly in use are quinine, ipecac, 
and opium, and sometimes calomel.

We are upon Muldrough’s Hill yet and expect to stay here this winter unless our men are repulsed 
at Bowling Green. It is reported here that General Buell sent word to Buckner that he must have 
all the women and children removed from town within twenty‑four hours or surrender. Buckner sent 
back word that he would do neither and said he was ready for company of any kind.

The report says that Buell took command in person Thursday, and there is a rumor this afternoon 
that Buell has whipped him out, though one cannot tell anything about flying reports nowadays. I 
do not anticipate ever being in a battle. It does not seem any more like a rebel state where we 
are than it did when we were in Michigan. I wish that this regiment could move down where the 
main army is stationed so that if there was any fighting to be done we might have a hand in it.

The fort is nearly completed. They have all of the guns mounted, seven in number — six smoothbore 
and one rifled cannon. They are savage‑looking things, I tell you, and when one is fired while you 
are in the fort it will almost raise you off your feet. Ten thousand rebels would have no business 
with us here.

Bowling Green is about ninety‑five miles from here to the southwest of us. I received a letter 
from Frank Randall day before yesterday. He was at Elizabethtown and was in camp there with six 
other regiments. He said he had not been able to get a pass and didn’t know whether he could come 
where I was or not. I wrote to him yesterday and told him if he couldn’t come where I was to send 
those things which he brought for me on the stage to West Point. He wrote that he was well and 
liked the place very much. He cooks for his father and one of the lieutenants, so he has a pretty 
easy place.

A few words about our Colonel, Wm. W. Duffield: he is one of the best men that I ever saw. There 
is not a man in the whole regiment that can say a word against him. The officers of Company C are 
all pretty good men. Capt. Deland is a very good man, although he gets cross once in a while but 
he has not been very hard on me. Lt. Lott is a fine little fellow. The best officer we have is 
Lt. Curtis Purdy. He is one of the best natured men I ever saw.

Since I started this letter Bangs has arrived in the camp but he is still pretty lame. Tell Dr. 
Jones to send me something to clense my blood.

From your only son,
John.

Muldraugh’s Hill, Kentucky
January 4, 1862

Dear Father and Mother,

I received the medicine from Dr. Jones. Yesterday afternoon we got marching orders for six 
companies, and our company was one of them. With three days’ rations in our haversacks we 
left Muldraugh Hill, and we expect to go to Green River.

We have lost two more boys out of the company. One of them is Anson Lewis, and the other was 
Russel Farnum. Vining’s boy is down with the fever. All I need is some provisions from home. 
I am tired of fresh beef, salt beef, salt pork, rice, and hard bread.

Your son,
John C. Love