Pope Gordon
This letter was written by Pope Gordon (1840-1897) of Co. G, 68th Ohio Infantry. Pope was the son of William L. Gordon (1816-1903) and Katharine Myers (1816-1894). Pope was married to Lucinda Marie (“Mariah”) Parker (1843-1863) on 7 June 1860 and their child, Mary Ermina Gordon (1861-1908) was born on 16 August 1861. After the war, Pope married Osa Almira Parker (1845-1919), his first wife’s younger sister.
Pope enlisted on 27 October 1861. He was appointed corporal on 20 December 1861 and made sergeant on 1 April 1863. He was discharged on 10 July 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Written on the reverse side of the letter, Pope’s younger brother, Daniel Gordon (1841-1862) has added a note. Daniel appears to have been with his brother in the same unit though I cannot find a record of his service. He died on 8 November 1862 in a hospital at St. Louis, Missouri.
The envelope in which this letter was inserted does not appear to have been the original envelope. It is addressed to Private George Sherer of Co. E, 115th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
Envelope sold with letter
TRANSCRIPTION
Addressed to Mr. George Sherer, Cincinnati, Ohio
Company E, in care of Capt. [Joseph S.] Harter, 115 Regiment O. V. I.
Postmarked Jonesboro, Ohio
March 29, 1862
Dear Father,
I sit down to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well with the exception of a bad cold. My health has been very good ever since I have been in the service. I received a letter from home on Tuesday last and was glad to hear that my wife and child were well and all doing well.
After the Battle of Fort Donelson, we stayed there until the tenth of March when we marched over to Fort Henry and encamped three miles above the fort on the river where we tarried some six or seven days when we got on board the steamer Minnehaha and steamed up the [Tennessee] River to Savannah, Tennessee where we are at present.
_____ my hand shake so I not not write legibly. Give my best respects to mother and the children and to all the neighbors. No more at this time.
— Pope Gorden
[in a different hand]
Crump’s Landing [4 miles upriver from Savannah, TN]
Hardin County, Tennessee
March the 29th 1862
I am well at this time as usual. Jackson, as I stated in my last letter, was left on the boat with the rest of our sick and I do not know where he is — perhaps in a better place than our camp.
I received your letter yesterday and was very glad to hear from home. That poetry was very nice. It is very warm here — that is, warm enough to be in the shade.
We hear news every day but cannot put much confidence in them. we have no idea how soon we will [leave] here.
There are 23 sick in our company besides 8 or 10 on the boat. As Pope has stated everything that is necessary, I will say no more, — Daniel Gorden
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