1862 Post-Shiloh Civil War Letter, 50th IL was "where the balls whistled plenty"

Description

Private Aaron O. Wheeler wrote this letter home to his wife and her parents in Avon, Illinois, in late April 1862 while his regiment, the 50th Illinois Volunteers, was encamped at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, following the Battle of Shiloh. Wheeler opens the letter with the familiar soldier’s complaint of not having received letters from home. He continues that this letter would be carried “by Mr. E. McGowan and he can tell you more about me and things here in five minutes than I can put on this sheet.” A search of the 50th Illinois roster reveals an Alexander McGowan, but not an “E.” “I did not think when I left home that it would be half so long before I should come home,” he writes. “It is seven months tomorrow since I was at home and how much longer it will be I don’t know, but I hope it will not be a great while….” Wheeler mentions another member of his company, Albert S. Wright [later killed at Allatoona], had seen “all the rest of the Avon boys.” He looked forward to visiting them, but “we have had orders to be ready to move tomorrow at 12 o’clock.” His thoughts then turned to home once again:
…I would give almost anything to get home. I get along very well but it is not home life. If I was like a great many others, single and had no Dear wife and babies to think of, or even like some married men that I could mention. I asked a Sister [Creek?] man tonight at supper time if he would not like to be at home tonight & he said he did not know as he would care much about it if he felt well. That is not the way with me. I would like to be at home, sick or well.
The final page of the letter was written to his wife’s parents:
You can judge something how I am enjoying myself, a soldier’s life is a pretty hard one. I have seen some hard [times] and been where the balls whistled plenty, but I don’t think that we shall be in many
more
battles for I think the thing is about wound up. I think that we shall be at home the first of July and perhaps sooner. I hope so.
He then mentions his slow pay before praising his own culinary abilities, claiming that the biscuits made in his clay camp are so good he could “beat you & Fanny both [at] cooking.”
The letter was written on four pages of a blue bifolium stationery sheet measuring about 5 1/4” x 8”. The first page has a patriotic decoration featuring a Zouave officer carrying the Stars and Stripes while he tramples the Rebel flag underfoot. The caption reads “Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just.” It is in very good condition. Very legible, though written in pencil. Light toning. Creased at the original mailing folds. The full transcript follows:
Pittsburg Landing
April 29 1862
My Dear Wife,
I keep a writing to you but yet no return. I have not heard from you since Mr. B came from there and I have written 4 letters since, but I can’t give it up & I think that I am sure that you will get this, but when I shall get one from you I don’t know, but I hope soon. I shall send this by Mr. E. McGowan and he can tell you more about me and things here in five minutes than I can put on this sheet. My health is good at this time and I hope these few lines will find you all the same. I enjoy myself as well as I can under the circumstances. I did not think when I left home that it would be half so long before I should come home. It is seven months tomorrow since I was at home and how much longer it will be I don’t know, but I hope it will not be a great while because I am getting anxious to see you and the rest of the folk. I heard from Josiah today. [Albert S.] Wright was out and saw him and all the rest of the Avon boys. They were all well. They are about five miles from here. I did not know they were so near me till this afternoon & I thought when I heard it I would go & see them tomorrow but since I heard from them we have had orders to be ready to move tomorrow at 12 o’clock, so that will stop my seeing them at the present, but I would give almost anything to get home. I get along very well but it is not home life. If I was like a great many others, single and had no Dear wife and babies to think of, or even like some married men that I could mention. I asked a Sister [Creek?] man tonight at supper time if he would not like to be at home tonight & he said he did not know as he would care much about it if he felt well. That is not the way with me. I would like to be at home, sick or well. I can’t think of any more to write this time. I wish that you would write as soon as you get this. This from your Husband A. O. Wheeler
Father & Mother B. I must say a few words to you. I hope you are enjoying yourselves first rate. You can judge something how I am enjoying myself, a soldier’s life is a pretty hard one. I have seen some hard [times] and been where the balls whistled plenty, but I don’t think that we shall be in many
more
battles for I think the thing is about wound up. I think that we shall be at home the first of July and perhaps sooner. I hope so. We have not had any pay since January. They were talking about our getting our pay tomorrow but as we have had close to none we will be likely to get it now and when we shall get it I don’t know. Mother, I wish you could be here to eat some of my nut cakes. I think when I come home I can beat you & Fanny both cooking. You might to taste of some of my biscuits that I make. We have an oven made of clay that we bake in but we have got to go and leave it. I don’t think of anything more.
This from your friend A. O. Wheeler
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