1862 January 18 Camp Dennison, Ohio

[letter written on patriotic stationery with an engraved red vignette of "Columbia" above the words:
Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise,
The queen of the world and the child of the skies;
Thy genius commands thee; with rapture behold,
While ages on ages thy splendors unfold.


Old friend [Henry A. Bitner]--It is
very seldom that I have to apolo=
gize for any failure in puntu=
ality[sic] in answering correspondents,
but have not been as puntual[sic] as
usual in answering your last,
(forwarded to me at Camp Chase
at Columbus) from the fact that
we have never known until now,
how long we would remain in
Camp or where we would be
ordered to.

You will percieve by this time
that I am again in the service

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of Uncle Sam. I have been
soldiering since the fifth of Nov.
I resigned my situation in
Darke Co. and quit the business
of teaching the young iden[?]
how to shoot, in order to
learn how to shoot (secessionists)
myself. O Lord! what men
will do for glory, beans, bacon
and $17 per month! I am
writing this on the soldier's
writing desk, i.e. a board 18
inches square placed upon my
knees.

We are provided with very
good quarters here--regular
barracks--and plenty of beans, ba=
con, hominy and other luxuries,
but alas! how fleeting is all
earthly happiness! We are or=
dered to leave next week, for

[page 3]
Virginia, and ere this reaches you
we will be in "Dixie's Land."

The only thing about the busi=
ness I don't like is that it de=
prives us of the pleasure of that
time honored institution--"sparking
Sunday night." I haven't been
within 6 piece of a piece of cali=
co for two months. Ugh! think
of that old fellow, and the next
time you go to see your--what's
her name?-just give her a smack
on those rosy lips of hers for me.
Well, sir, the tattoo is beating and I
must attend roll call.

As taps will beat in 20 minutes
and all lights must be extinguis[h]ed
I must now close. My respects
to the friends and compliments to
the ladies--especially your Angelina
Seraphina. Hope you will

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answer soon. My address
for a few weeks will be

"Dave R. P. Shoemaker
Co. E, 11th Reg. O.V.U.S.A.
Point Pleasant, Virginia
Care of Capt Douglas"

MSS 11395