As you will remember from last week, the Coleman family came to Adams County circa 1846 and bought a farm just south of Youngsville on today’s State Route 247. On August 11, 1862, John Coleman volunteered to join the Union army in order to prevent his younger brother Robert from doing so. John felt strongly that Robert’s place was with his wife and children and that if anyone should serve in the Union cause, it should be him. John enlisted and was placed in Company E, of the 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI) and began the necessary training he would need to perform his duties. The 91st Ohio was raised at Camp Ironton in south-central Ohio on August 26, 1862. After it was organized and mustered into Federal service in September, the regiment was moved by rail to western Virginia and assigned to the Department of the Kanawha, later to the VII Corps under Brig. General Eliakim Scammon. The 91st would serve in what became West Virginia and in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

In the following weeks we will bring you a series of letters written by John to his family. In many places the spelling and grammar are incorrect but we have chosen to let you read the letters as they were written 160 years ago. John was 47 years of age at the time.

May 22nd 1863 Fayettville, Va

Dear Brother

I thought that I would write you a few lines this morning to let you know where we are we left (Gauley) Bridge on the 17th half after 2 oclock and got here about 10 oclock at night and encamped on the ground for the night the next morning we pitched our tents we slept in our tents the night of the 18th the morning of the 19th we was orders in the breastworks at 12 oclock the rebels fired on us with their artilery our kept quiet in order to draw them in they has a force of about 3500 Suported by 4 peaces of artilery and some cavlery they cept up fire untile dark at 4 oclock the morning of the 20th commences again ours answered them and then kept quiet and got them into line of Battle and let loose on them and done concederable of damage and disabled one of there pieces So they began to fite out and their cept firing until 2 oclock of the 20th in to get away we did not leave the breastworks until sun down and came into camp and then got orders to move after them with three days rations and Starts after them and followed them to Pealeg about 128 miles they had several hours the start so they could not bee caught up with except their rear they shoes a little fight but had to get up and dust I was not along with the boys my nees paines me so much that I could not travel so I staies in camp the boys of the 91st is back safe again the 91st had the advace going out and in again the 12th ovi lost 2 or three men and 4 or 5 wounded the 2 nd Va cavlry lost a few men tho 13th Va infrenty lost none Fayettville is the kee of the Knawha valley and if the sags away 2 weeks longer it will a very strong force place so strong that they cannot take it without a strong force I cant tell you how long we will stay here or where our destination will be probley we will be confined to the valley of the Kanawha I leave you at this time

Yours as ever Your Brother

John Coleman

If I was at home I could tell you better than I can write to you J. C