Civil War Letters from Samuel H. Reap

The following letters are from Samuel H. Reap to his mother Rachel Gladney Reap in Bradley County, AR. Samuel served with the 1st AR Infantry, Co. I as a private.

The letters appear courtesy of Bettye Hogue Bond.

Nov. 2 1861 Camp Washington
Dear Mother:

I take the opportunity this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well. I received your letters yesterday and was glad to hear from Richard (brother.. Richard G. Reap) and Edward. (brother..Edward C. Reap) I heard that they had gone to Kentuckey and I had not wrote them a letter in two months.

You said that you had hired a family to pick cotton, which is Goodwin, and that he don't pick.

I saw the yankeys drilling yesterday and they had a brass band, they played it well too. They was on the other side of the river from us but they can't do any harm. This is a (can't read word) day. I will come to a close Mother nothing more at present.

S.H.R. (Samuel H. Reap) to his dear Mother (Rachel Gladney Reap)

You may tell James that I would be glad if he would take care of my fiddle till I come home. I think I will be home after a while and then I will play "a little Gal" for him.

I haven't received my close (clothes) yet as soon as I get them I will write you. You may write when you get this read and direct it to the way you direct all of them and I will get it.

Good by gaimmy until I see you again.

Tell Bill to Write. (this must be brother William Jonas Reep, as he did not enlist as early as Samuel H. Reap and Samuel Bruce Gibson did in the 1st AR Inf.)

March 19, 1862 Junction City (TN)

I set myself this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that William (brother Wm Jonas) and Myself are well. We left Memphis yesterday and started to Corinth, MS. We received orders to stop here at Grand Junction, TN, they are "fiting" at Corinth today. I don't know how long we will stay here, we have not got our guns yet. (they had been home on furlough)

Richard (Richard G.) & Edward (C.) are at Decatur in Alabama. I will write to them as soon as I get to our camp. I saw James Thompson in Memphis, they are camped there, but have no guns yet, and don't know where they will go. You can tell Sarah that Martin is well.

I will write as soon as I get to my station

Signed: Samuel H. Reap to his dear Mother Rachel Gladney Reap