LETTERS HOM
This section of our site contains letters written by the original 49th soldiers.
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LETTERS TO JACO
The following letters were written by Sergeant Oliver Ragon who served in Company B of the original 49th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Sergeant Ragon used some colorful language and repeatedly talks about his most important topic...girls! It is really amazing how little some things have changed in 135 years! Thanks to Mudsil Rick Manion for sending these to Nick Wilson. Rick apparently copied these and many more while doing research on the 49th. Our sensitive readers may want to proceed with caution!
Camp Chase, Ohio
March 21st, 1862
Friend Jacob, I once more take my pen in hand to let you know how I am getting along. I am well. I hope that these few lines will find you enjoying the same good blessing. Well Jacob I suppose you know that I am a parole prisoner and all about where I was taken and it is not worth my while to say anything about it. If I ever get home I can tell you all about my travel I had through Dixie. I had a pretty hard time of it. We had to go sometimes 3 or 4 days without anything to eat and you know that was ruff. I tell you Jacob that I have seen the elephant (Battle of Shiloh where Ragon was captured). I thought when I got to Camp Chase I would get to come home but that is played out now. I can't get home unless I take a french and that won't do. So I can't get to see my little woman but I guess she is all right. Jacob when you write to me give me all the news of the neighborhood. I have not heard anything of any of them in that part of the country for a long time. No more this time. Write some soon. OLIVER RAGON
Camp Near Corinth
May 31, 1862
Old Friend Jacob, It is with great pleasure that I take pen in hand to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines find you the same. I am way down in Old Mississippi within 9 miles of Corinth where that big fight was going to be. But the fight is all over now. The rebels left there when they found we were going to give them hell there. Some of our forces are in Corinth now and I guess I will be there in a day or two if nothing happens. They say that if we follow them up they will give us another Shiloh battle but I think they can't hurt us much. All the hurt they can do us is to leave there. That will hurt us more than if they would fight us for then we will have to follow them and marching is hard work in this warm weather. We were all ready to fight them here when they left. They left in the night and at the time they was a leaving they had out a heavy picket as to fool us and they did fool us for in the morning when we was going to make the attack there was nothing to attack. Too sharp for us that time but they can't fool us that way very soon again. Well Jacob I must ask you a question and that is if you still go to the Shumaker house yet. If you do good luck to you and all the skin that you can get. I would like to be there to race around with you once more. Give my respects to all the folks and them that don't tell them they can kiss my jolly brown A** H***. No more this time but remain your friend until death. Good bye and answer soon.
OLIVER RAGON
Nashville, Tennissee
November 9, 1862
Friend Jacob, I once more take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well and sound as a cuss. I am out on picket today and I thought I would write you as it has been a long time since I wrote to you and a much longer time since I heard from you. I have seen some awful times since I left Ohio but I have lived through it all. We have marched in the last 70 days 800 miles and I have never rode one step. Since I left home I was only sick about 4 or 5 days and it has been now over 8 months since I enlisted and if I live through the next 8 months as well as I have these last eight I think I will be home for I don't think this darned war can last much longer. And if I ever get home I will make the gals suffers to make up for lost time. Well Jacob you must not let the girls hurt you until we all get back. There is almost too many there for you. I believe you are about all the young man that is left on that road. Now Jacob when you write to me let me know how old father Shumakers gals is getting along and how my little woman is and if she is all right on the goose. I saw the 101 regiment at Louisville and saw all the boys. I am a poor hand to write a letter so no more this time. Write soon.
OLIVER RAGON
Letters Home, Part II