CIVIL WAR LETTERS
of
JOHN AUSTIN NORTON

January 29th 1864 - Aubrey, Johnson Co., Kansas

My dear wife:

I will try to write a few lines to you again to you although I have not heard a word from you since Nate was there. It is certainly strange but I can't think it is your fault. Nate got a letter from his mother and George got a letter from Jule but neither of them mentioned you. I am sorry to hear there is so much sickness on the creek there. I was sorry to hear of the death of John's other boy but such is life. Now about myself our company has all got back here again and Eunes and I are again cooking I still enjoy good health and it is pretty healthy here. Since Nate came back I have sent you ten dollars in letters but I don't know whether you have got it or not. We are looking for the paymaster around every day. Walt is going home after he comes I will send you some money by him. The captain wants me to be a corporal but I won't have it. There is talk that our company will be sent across the plains next summer but I don't want to go for my part. I am going to try and come home and see you about the first of April. I wrote to you in one letter to sell the cattle if they were to much trouble but I hope you haven't for I still have hopes of getting out of the service before another fall. O how I do long for the time to come when I can again be with my family. I think how that I could be happy with you if only had one crust of bread a day to eat. I pray to God may spare me. I am so anxious to hear from you that I can hardly wait. Well I will have to quit and go and help get dinner. It has been about ten days since I wrote you last but I was waiting to hear from you but have looked in vain. Tell the children that pa says they must be good to ma and not forget their pa who loves them so well.

From your fond husband.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
[w] Nate got letter from his mother. (I think Nate is Nathan, son of sister, Phylinda)
[w] George got a letter from Jule
[h] John's other boy died 1-29-1864 (maybe son of Phylinda and John Rose)


February 9th 1864 - Aubrey, Kansas

Dear wife:

I am tired and sleepy but what does that signify when I want to write you and first I will tell you what makes me feel so. Last night just after dark there was a woman come to our camp and said there was a lot of bushwackers going up the blue towards Olatha so about a party of forty of us mounted and put out after them. Went to Olathe and found that they had not been there so we pushed on to Gardner and then we found out that it was a lot of our own men that had been sent out to scout and it was all for nothing. We rode some hardy miles in three hours so I am free to to-night. they are having a dance here to-night. they are all gone for it but me I am here alone writing to you and tending the lite. I wrote a long letter to you three nights ago, but as Walt did not start when he expected I thought I would write a few lines more. Day before yesterday Silas got thrown from a horse and got hurt pretty bad I should not be surprised if he did not get out. My eyes hurt so I can't see to write

God Bless you till I write again.

Sarah Norton      J.A.N.

Notes:
[w] Eunes (sister Eunice)
[w] Nate
[w] Silas


March 9 - Aubrey, Kansas

My dear wife:

Walt and the girls got back here last night all well but the children had been sick words can not express my feeling for you dear wife for I know how lonely and sad it is for you when either you or the children are sick. I would to-night that I could be with you to share your hardships. I think that if nothing happens will see you soon after the first of next month which will soon roll around. I was very sorry to hear that the fire had burned up so much of fence but it can't be helped. Now about my health I have not been well for some time. I have felt a good deal as I did when I was in California. I lay it to being in the house so much and stooping and cooking. I am not bad yet. I am going to taking some medicine and I am not going to cook for awhile so I think that I will be all rite in a few days. Will has been quite sick for about a week with something like the fever, but he is now able to walk around. The rest of our boys are well. I expect to be paid off in about ten days or two weeks I will draw fifty dollars. I expect to come home a horseback but I will fetch you as many things as I can carry of them things you wanted. Ben is ordered back to M company. I believe we will not stay here long. I hear to-night that we are bound for Little Rock, Arkansas. I hope and pray that it is not so. Eunice says that John's folks are willing for you to live in one of their rooms. I want you write and tell me what you think about it. If I don't get to go home to stay another fall I don't want you to live there alone another winter. I feel very bad Sarah that you think so hard of me for not fetching you down here what I have done I thought was for the best. Under my situation. Tell George that I cannot advise him to come into the service for in the first place Kansas has more men than her portion and I think there is now enough men to do the job up by fall. If he felt as I do about it he would stay at home. I think now that I will be able to fetch home a horse for George to work. That is if he wants it I will fetch you a saddle if I can get it home. Give my respects to Em and Jule tell them that I thank them for their kindness towards you and the children. Well as it is getting late I will close by asking God to watch over and protect you from all harm. So good bye and God Bless you and kiss all the children for me.

Your affectionate husband.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
[h] John's folks ( Sarah can live in one of their rooms.)
[h] Em and Jule
[h] George (could George be a brother of Sarah?)
[w] Old Charley
[w] Em


June 15th-1864 - Aubrey, Kansas

My dear wife:

I take a few minutes to write you a few lines as I expect we will leave here to-morrow. The troops along the border have been concentrating at Maysville for the last three days there is now twelve companies here and more coming in. Report says that Hindman and Coffey are advancing north through Mo. with a considerable fever (how bad that is I can't say) but one thing certain is that there is something up the troops are all in good shape and condition eager to get off after them and I am to be along. Old Charley is fine and I feel pretty well myself only rather sleepy to-day for I was out patrolling all last night and day before yesterday two wagons that had been to Kansas City for rations was attacked by bushwackers about 15 miles from here in Mo. there was 18 men only one escaped the rest are supposed to be all killed the wagons were also burned. We were paid off. I shall leave fifty-five dollars with Em. She will send it to you if she gets the chance before I get back (or if I should not get back) I will write to you again first chance that I get. Nate has been quite unwell for a few days with the diarreah but is now better his mare is better. I hope that I will get a letter from you this evening before I go away. Our two meetings went off quite lively. I will close and leave room for Em to write some. So farewell till I write again.

Yours affectionately till death.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
[w] Hindman and Coffey are advancing north through Mo.
Em (She will-------)
[w] Nate


July 3rd, 1864 - Aubrey, Kansas

My dear wife:

I intended to have written you before but I have been patrolling the last two days. It must be your coming down here that gave you an appetite for I never saw you eat better. All has went off fine since you left here no excitement. They have been making arrangements for a dinner to-morrow. We looked strong for the boys yesterday and are still looking for them to-day. I hope they will come and fetch Alice. We are going down to Mo. after cherries this afternoon if they come I will try and save you some. I believe I will not finish this till to-morrow evening you may not get this this week and maybe that boys will come and I can send this by them.

Tuesday, well I will try and finish this where I left off we went and got a fine lot of cherries as none of boys came I can not send you any now. About dinner we had the finest dinner you ever saw. The program was as follows. At eleven o'clock the people was called to order and a chairman elected we had some patriotic songs sung by the Squire Hill Sunday School. Then the reading of the Declaration of Independence then a song then a speech by a Major then the star spangled banner sung then dinner. I can not do the dinner justice by describing it was certainly the best public dinner that I saw. Companys S and D went out with the cannon and fought a battle I do wish you could of been here. I was on guard last night. I feel quite sleepy to-day. Em has quit cooking only for Nate and me and I am doing duty again. I hope I will hear from you before long for I want to hear if you got home safe and how you feel after the trip. I will close by sending all my best love write often and I will write often.

From your affectionate husband.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
[w] Em has quit cooking only for Nate and me


July 15th, 1864 - Aubrey, Kansas

My dear wife:

I will confess that I have not wrote soon again as I ought but I have been waiting till the boys started home, but I will wait no longer for I don't know when they will go home. I was very glad to here you got home safe and that you felt so well after your trip down here, but I was very sorry to hear that Jimmy and Charley had got burned so bad. I hope it will not cripple them any be as careful as you can about such things but accidents will sometimes happen. I am also very sorry to hear that you are so much dissatisfied since you went back I was in hopes that you would be more contented I would to God that it was so that I could be with you but things look discouraging now for we hear bad news from the East and we are expecting to leave here every day but still we may not go at all. We heard yesterday that a bushwacker had burned Weston it appears that way. They are gathering all their forces on the north side of the river. I do not think you will blame me for doing what I think is best for you I shall certainly want you down as soon as I think it right nothing would please me greater than to have you with me. So do try for my sake to be contented. I will not pretend to tell you how I feel about the service. Only that I am getting worse disgusted with it every day. Don't give yourself any uneasiness about me reenlisting for by the time my three years is out I think I will be thoroughly warned. I am in favor of upholding the government but I don't like the way they have of doing it. I have been herding for the last week but am now doing duty, there is a prospect that we will get an easy birth. Our Captain and Lieut. are both under arrest at Olatha. The charges against the Captain is for jayhawking. I think it will be pretty hard with him I don't know what they have got the Lieut. for. Peleg is in command now and you bet he makes things get. I think that there will be no trouble about that matter that you spoke of I have talked to the boys about it. I cannot think of anything else to write. Tell Jimmy and Charley that I hope by the time this letter gets there they will be well tell the girls that I want to see them so bad that I can hardly wait.

As ever your fond and affectionate husband.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
[h] Jimmy and Charley and the girls (children of John and Sarah).
[w] Peleg is in command


July 29th, 1864 - Aubrey, Kansas

My dear wife:

Another week has gone by and I have not had a letter from you. About myself we have had another scare here last Monday I was out to Spring Hill after a load of corn and when I got back I found all of the available force of the company had been ordered to Paola and was gone. It was reported that the rebels were a going to attack it that night. There were some of the other boys that was not here so when they came in eight of us started at sun set to join the company at Paola at one o'clock at night. We staid there from Monday night till Wednesday night at one o'clock. At one o'clock we were ordered back. Arrived here yesterday morning at sunrise. While we were gone the militia was sent in here to guard the place. They kept the folks in a big scare the women slept in their clothes so they would be ready to run. How would you like to be here thru such a time. Their was all kinds of rumors afloat here yesterday it was even said that we were to leave here this morning for the plains. I expect we will have some scaring times between this and fall for I think there is considerable many bushwackers on this and the other side of Mo. river but I think they will do most of there mischief on other side of the river. Don't make to much calculation on coming down here this winter for I may be a good way from here by fall but if we do stay I want you to come. I think the paymaster will be here this afternoon or to-morrow then we will be apt to find out about it if we don't get pay I think I shall sell my horse. I think I can get a hundred and fifty dollars for her and I think it would be better than to send him home and run the risk of his being stolen. O how I would like to see you all and be with you to-day I don't know when the war will end I cannot see the beginning of the end yet though our armys are having some success. Calico has gone up to forty-five cents don't that beat all well I can't think of anymore that would be news to you. I will quit. I send you all my best love hoping that God continues to Bless us all. Write often and I will do the same.

Yours till death.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton


December 26, 1864 - Olathe, Kansas

My dear wife:

I will again write you a few lines to let you know that I am still enjoying first rate health and I do hope that this will find you all well. I have no news in particular to write it is a general time of health here and we are a having a pretty easy time of it since we got back. We only have one roll call a day. I haven't been guard since I come back home and now Captain Green Dewey is first Lieut. and Will is second Lieut. we are still having good news from the east everything looks to a speedy termination of war, I expect that we will have to go to Colorado in the Spring. Moonlight has already gone. We muster for pay next Saturday and the report is that the paymaster will be here about the 10th of next month and then I think we will go to Ft Riley and wait till grass. I am a going to try hard to come home before we go to Colorado I think that Walt will get his discharge between now and spring and it was a dry Christmas here. Old Bet and her colt run off and I went down to Minorva Vill after them. Bens folks are all well. I expect I will get a letter from you before long. I began to want to see you pretty bad. It seems like a long time since I left home, write as often as once a week and direct to the company so that if we move it will follow us. I hope I can get to come home and stay a few days before we have to go on the plains. The nearer my time is out the more I want to be at home. That little stay I had there was only an aggrivation but it was mighty sweet while it lasted. I wish I could send the children some presents for New Years but I can't. Well I can't think of anything more to write so I will quit and go water old Sam.

From your affectionate husband.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
[w] Captain Green Dewey is first Lieut.

1865


Copyright ©1999 Debbie Wafford

Unauthorized use of the contents of this page for profit/commercial ventures is expressly prohibited.

Home to Greenwood County


Home Page for the
Kansas State Library
Search all of Blue Skyways
including
The KSGenWeb Project