Admin/Biog History	Sergeant William Jones, Company I, 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry (Not to be confused with William B. Jones of the same company) enlisted from Hortonia on December 23, 1861. He mustered out on February 17, 1865 upon the expiration of his term of service. In 1895 he is listed in the Wisconsin Veterans Census at PO Hortonville, Wisconsin. He is not listed in 1905.
Category	8: Communication Artifact
Classification	Archives
Collection	Civil War Small Collections
Dates of Accumulation	September 14, 1862
Abstract	Letter from Sergeant William Jones, Company I, 3rd Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry, to his brothers and sisters. This is not the same man as William B. Jones who also served in Company I, but was discharged in 1862. Ft. Scott, Kansas, September 14, 1862 Dear Brothers & Sister I received yours of the 29th of August announcing the death of our dear mother. I was shocked [and] unmanned for some time. I hoped to see her again on Earth, but she has gone. She Sleepeth. I cannot wish her back, although a better mother never lived Her Christian graces and undying affection I have thought to be the most unselfish of any persons [that] I ever was acquainted with. Peace to her rest. She will ever be cherished in the memory of her children, as one sacred of earth, and we will drop the tear of affection together, that she can be no more with us here below. I mailed a letter to you the night before I received this. I received two papers from you this Morning; the Tribune and Independent. I received a paper from Mr. Bon, with Mother's death in it, the Eagle. I am detailed in Blunt's Body Guard . The position is honorable, but there is no more chance for promotion. I think these are [the] motives that induced some of the officers to work to get me on this detail. I have been promoted in rank twice and one more promotion [and] I would be Orderly Sergeant, then Lieutenant, and so forth by rank. But too many promises had been [made and] too much money against me. There is one Lieutenant, whose commission cost Him $500. That's pretty well known. He has gone from Orderly [Sergeant] to 1st Lieutenant of our company. But my position is the most favorable for safety. The troops are most all gone off southeast in Missouri. They are fighting down there some. How much I don't know. I am quite fat, [I] weigh 192 [pounds]. Alden Leach has been sick in [the] hospital . I thought He could not live two days ago. He was so low that [he] could not speak, but he is better today. He had the chronic dysentery. Friends, I want to see you all. I want to see my family. [I] ain't home sick much, but would like to see the little Girls. Henry, don't enlist if you can get along without. Take Care of them that are left. If I should be taken away, there would be no one left to see to them but Daniel. He would do all he could, I know, but I think if he takes care of him self, he will [be] doing well. If you do or don't enlist. Why don't you sell out, settle up, go to Hortonia , [and] live with or near Daniel and Sarah? [You could help] Daniel improve His land, if [you] live with Martha. I have two houses, one in [the] village [and] one on my place, two miles from your place, about [the] same from the village. Try and go. Do write to me often. Write to Martha. I must close this so Good Bye. Yours Brother Wm. Jones
Event	Civil War
Legal Status	Oshkosh Public Museum
Notes	Sergeant William Jones, Company I, 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry (Not to be confused with William B. Jones of the same company) enlisted from Hortonia on December 23, 1861. He mustered out on February 17, 1865 upon the expiration of his term of service. In 1895 he is listed in the Wisconsin Veterans Census at PO Hortonville, Wisconsin. He is not listed in 1905.
Object ID	SC411.5.58.4
Object Name	Letter
People	Jones, William Blunt, James G. Leach, Alden D.
Subjects	Civil War Soldiers Cavalry Guards Military life 3rd Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry Farming Westward movement Death Death & burial Grief Homefront
Title	Letter from William Jones to Siblings

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Last modified on: July 22, 2007