The Copperhead, the Stark County Civil War Roundtable, and The Zouave are deeply indebted to SCCW Founding Member, Ron Luikhart, who has generously contributed Private Olds' heretofore unpublished letters. We are also grateful to Ron's father, Mr. Howard Luikhart, who discovered the letters in a rental house and has preserved them carefully since 1947. There are twelve letters in all, seven written by Private Olds and five written to him by family members.

("Set" is Private Olds' pet name for his wife, Lucetta; James, Lester, and Miles are three of his brothers.)

Franklin, Tennessee
Friday, February 19th, 1863

Lucetta Olds,

My Dear wife I take my pen in hand again to write you a few lines. My health is good & I hope you & the children are enjoying the same blessing. we left Nashville yesterday & came to this place about twenty miles south of Nashville. it rained some yesterday but not enough to soil us much. we marched on a (while). The mud was not very deep.

I stood the march very well. to day is a very pleasant day. it is warm enough to be comfortable. it is a very pretty country here the best I have seen since I left Ohio. I am getting very anxious to hear from home. the last letter I have had from our folks was writen the first day of this month & the last I have had from you was writen the third. they thought Lester would not get well & I dont see why they dont write again. James used to write often but I have had no letter from him since I left Louisville. there is so many of them to write that I think they might write oftener. if they dont, I will quit writing to them.

I wish they would settle this damed war and let us all go home but I see no prospect of it. I would not mind staying if I thought it was doing any good but they wont whip the Rebels when they have the chance. it has been six months to day since I enlisted & it is the longest six months that I ever experienced but I expect it has been as long to you as it has to me. I am sorry for you but I cant help it now. You must do the best you can & I will do the same & when I get home we can take all the comfort there is going. I hope before six months more are past the war will be settled some way. I dont care much how so that I can go home and stay there. well set, I did not know that I had wrote so much. I believe I must bring my letter to a close. You must take care of yourself.

when you want money if you hate to ask them for it write to me in time & I will write to them to send it to you. let me know how much you want. dont be uneasy about me because I am so far off. I had better be here than in Ky. for it is a better country & I think it is more healthy. tell the children they must be good children till pa comes home and he will have lots of fun with them. pa wants to see them very bad & get a sweet kiss. when you move (if you get a house) try and get all your things & what you dont want to use I will get Miles to take care of them or sell them. Dear set write often. this is from your best friend forever

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