9 April 1863

Ft. Halleck
Columbus, Kentucky
April 9, 1863

My Dear Wife,

This is pay day here and I have received the large sum of four dollars on two months wages of a sergeant, the balance of $30 having been allotted to you at Camp Utley, Racine, as I wrote you at the time. I suppose the state treasurer of the State of Wisconsin will forward you notice as soon as the payroll, now here, is returned to him — perhaps in a week or two — and a receipt for you to sign and send back to him. And then after he gets your receipt, he will send you a draft for the money which you can use as money. I think the treasurer will include in the draft the balance due you from the state.

We shall probably be paid every two months and if so, you will receive your allotment as often. The present draft will include the money allotted by [our son] John which will be $20, making with mine $50. You can make use of it as you think best, only be sure to keep enough so that you will not have to go in debt, or in case either of us should need, we could draw a little from home. The balance due Hall you must pay — or not — as you please, only don’t pay our too close. he has no use for the money at present. But pay him greenbacks of you pay him anything or else there is a discount. I will enclose a promissory note to John A. for $30 dated at Camp Utley, Racine, & one for twenty from here, and you had better use his money until you get straight, and after that you can loan it for him. I owe him with this allotment $30. I have sent you two letters from [our son] J. T. enclosed with mine, but as neither you or Jane mention them, I presume you have not received them. I also enclosed a photograph of Zachariah Wright.

I think Jane had better not teach school this summer but go to school and make good use of her time. You will be very lonesome without her and she will have to take small wages and slow pay, but the time well used at school will be valuable. She wrote me in her last letter which I forwarded to J. T. that she was willing to give up teaching and remain at school. I prefer to have her do so.

Jedediah Cole in later years

Mr. [Jedediah] Cole ¹ is talking of coming home. He has news that his wife is dangerously ill. He has telegraphed home but the telegraph is uncertain at this place. We have had various rumors of intended attack by rebs but they have all ended in smoke. There is a rumor going in camp that we are to move somewhere soon, but there is nothing certain yet. I think we shall be likely to go to Memphis before very long tho’ we may stay here all summer. John encloses in this.

Take good care of yourself and all the comfort possible. Trust your soldier boys to God & pray for them. Adieu.

— Your husband

¹ Jedediah Cole (1830-1915) was from Lynxville, Crawford County, Wisconsin. He was the son of Jedediah Cole (1796-1850) and Betsey Noah (1801-1834) and a carpenter by trade. His wife was Catherine (“Kate”) M. Dickens (1833-1924), the daughter of James H. Dickins (1812-1882) and Lydia Pitner (1810-1900). Jedediah later accepted a commission as captain in the 1223rd U.S. Colored Troops. After the war, the family moved to Garrettsville, Ohio.