Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-05-05

mitted to read quite a number of
letters that had been written by
various of the boys to their fam
lilies here at home. / am sure that
these letters have been preserved,
as they were then considered with
out price, as / tried to secure some
of them, and as time has passed
they naturally become more prec-
ious to the families owning them.
Time after time / was told that I
might make copy of a part OF
them, the part of a general nature
relating to engagements with the
enemy, or experiences they had
when they had been confined in a
Confederate prison. I did not do
so and today regret very much that
l did not, as from them 1 am sure |
could secure some items that would
prove of very much interest to the
readers of these articles. Further,
l was told that while every one of
these letters was held almost sa-
cred by the family, as in nearly ev-
and in a few cases had been killed
on the field of battle after writing
the letter, when it was mentioned
to them that there was always the
possibility of the loss of the letter
by fire, while it was kept at home,
nearly every one said if there were
a safe place where they might be
kept secure from fire, there would
not only be no objection to placing
them there. but they would be glad
to do so, and then it was that l sug-
gested having copies of the letters
made that they might not be lost
forever. So again we see that If
we had museum in a fireproof
building, we could secure, even so
late as today, an enormous amount
of material for it, as you would be
surprised at the large number Of
such letters that there are, or were.
80 years ago, in the county, and
while l read but very few Of them,
the contents of the ones l did read
led me to believe that most inter-
esting book could be written based
on the experiences related in them,
and perhaps some interesting Incl
dents of the history of the war
might be brought to light.
| All this preliminary discussion
was brought up to introduce the
reporting to you of part of let
ter by Col. Pond. In Robertson's
history on page 259 you will find a
rather detailed account of the life
of Francis Bates Pond, and as he
was so well known to all in this
county l shall not give any state
ment of biographical nature here.
A few years ago there were ex-
of letters written by him while with
his command, but / shall only quote
from one as in it he mentions 9TH
ers who have descendants and rel
atives now living in the county.
While | have not investigated the
matter recently, / have no reason 10
doubt that these letters have been
! u Ix,< <<1
should the occasion require, along
with several hundred others scat
tered all over the county. In no
place in Robertson's history does he
state the total number who left
Morgan county to defend the union,
and l do not know where such
record might be found, but from
estimates made, based on the num-
ber of companies raised here I be-
stating that no fewer than 5000
men went from this county, and the
great majority Of them wrote let
ters home.
The following extract of a letter
written by Col. F. B. Pond, was
written from headquarters:
"....On arriving in front of the
rebel works, skirmishers were
thrown forward, and it was while
that the lamented Sgt. L. F. Devol,
received a shot from rebel skirm~
isher, causing his instant death.
He was one of the best of SOL
diers and was beloved by the Off
GERS and men of the whole regi-
ment.
Two of his comrades, seeing him
fall, went forward to bring off his
body, when one of them, Private
Rolls, received ball in the head,
which caused his instant death.
On Monday morning our troops
charged the rebel works; the first
brigade (Which was under the COM
mand of (Col. Pond), being the
first to break the rebel lines, cap
turing nearly 500 prisoners. This
was a brilliant charge-but our loss
was sad. Major Kahler (the late
Major F. M. Kahler, who many will
recall for his wonderful voice and