This Civil War soldier letter was written by George Washington Sefton (1841-1918), the son of Henry Sefton (1808-1878) and Sarah Brown (1812-1843) of Decatur county, Indiana. George’s siblings included Preserve Oliver Sefton (1834-1907), William Sefton (1836-1900), Jane Sefton (1838-1850), Elizabeth Sefton (1839-1848), and John H. Sefton (1843-1862).

The following historical sketch comes from the “History of Decatur County, Indiana” by Lewis A. Harding, Published by B. F. Bowen & Company, Indianapolis, Indiana in 1915.

“George W. Sefton, a retired farmer of Greensburg, Indiana, is one of those men, who, at the first call for volunteers at the breaking out of the Civil War, enlisted on 13 September 1861 in Co. E, Seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, a reorganized regiment, and served for three years, mustering out 20 September 1864. In many hard fought battles of the war, the only discomfiture he suffered, excepting the privations and hardships in the military service, was an attack of the measles.  His younger brother, John, died of the measles on 5 February 1862 at Cumberland, Maryland, while serving in the same regiment.  Attached to the First Brigade of the First Division of the First and Fifth Army Corps, Mr. Sefton contracted rheumatism as early as January, 1862, and was confined in the hospital at Cumberland, Maryland, on account of measles.  After his recovery, he brought his brother’s body home and then rejoined his command at Winchester, Virginia.  He was discharged at Indianapolis on September 20, 1864.  During his services, he was engaged in the battles of Greenbrier, Winchester, Bull Run, Frederickburg, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Mine Run, Wilderness Campaign of 1864, Port Republic, Siege of Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Antietam, South Mountain, Chancellorsville and many others.”

George Sefton was “married three times, the first time on October 1, 1866 to Julia Lanham, who was born in 1843 and who was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Lanham. She died in 1869, leaving two children, Monnett O., born on September 5, 1867, who lives in Rush county, and Julia E., on June 27, 1869, who married John Frank Deem, of Adams township.  By his second marriage, April 25, 1871, to Elizabeth Brock, who died in 1875, there were two children, Mrs. Emma M. Brown, of Indianapolis, who was born on May 4, 1872, and Mrs. Mary E. Walker, of Newpoint, on October 7 1873. By his third marriage to Harriett Weed, September 19, 1876 one child, Mrs. Stella Waters, of Indianapolis, was born on September 18, 1878.”

TRANSCRIPTION

Camp near Pratt’s Landing [10 miles below Aquia Creek], Virginia

December 24, 1862

Dear Brother,

Once more I seat myself to pen you a few lines in answer to your letter that I received yesterday and was glad to hear that you was well. I am well at this time and hoping these few lines may find you all well.

Well P., I would like to see you once more very well but I guess I won’t soon. You said you was out to Paps. Well I hope you enjoyed yourself. I would liked to have been there with you. I think we could a made it a little more interesting, don’t you? I reckon they are pretty lonesome there now. I would like to see them all the best kind but I don’t know when that will be but I hope not long.

Well P., I have not much to write to you that will interest you much. I got a letter from Wash the same time I got yours for the first one for some time. I was glad to hear from him. Well P., how is times out there at this time and how is the girls of Johnson county? And do you think that they ever think of their humble servant, G. W. Sefton? Tell them all that I am still the same fellow yet and would like to see them all.

Well I guess I will have to quit for the present and write more the next time. From your brother, — Geo. W. Sefton