To D. Kepple,
North Washington, Iowa.

P. L. Kepple of this city has in his possession a letter 71 years old, written by an uncle, Joe P. Byers, a brother of the late Sam’l Byers, former Nashua resident, well known to the older residents, while a paroled prisoner in the hospital at Annapolis, Md. Mr. Byers was wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg and laid for three days on the battlefield. A soldier of the Southern army picked him up and removed him to a hospital and years later Mr. Byers and this soldier met at a reunion of the Blue and the Grey. Mr. Kepple has presented the letterer, which we are printing below, to the Nashua public library for preservation. The letter follows:

U. S. General Hospital,
Annapolis, Md., March 22, 1863
Dear Friends - I have not heard from you or anything about you since October last when I received a letter from you which I answered. I was ever anxious to hear from my sisters and brothers and that anxiety has increased very much since I joined the army. I suppose you heard through our folks at home that I was wounded and taken prisoner, at the battle of Fredericksburg. The ball entered my right arm and passed through into my shoulder and was taken out of my back when my arm was amputated. I was prisoner in Richmond sixty-eight days and was treated better than I had expected. I longed to be released and felt very happy when we were brought back to our own clime and country again. My wound was a very serious one, the arm being disjointed at the shoulder, and it is now healing up finely, to the surprise of all surgeons who have seen it. I saw many with much slighter wounds who did not recover, and though I have met with a great loss I feel thankful that my life was spared. My health is and has been very good and I find that I can do much more with one hand than I supposed. Of my writing you have a specimen before you, which will admit of great improvement and I think by perseverance I can become an average penman.

This is by no means a lovely or pleasant place and I should be very happy to get away from it, but at present see no prospect for such a happy time. The future is unknown to me. I am paroled but not exchanged and there is no telling what will be done with us. Hoping to hear from you soon I will close. Do not fail to write immediately. Let me know about Sam (Byers) and all the rest of the brothers and sisters. Direct U. S. General Hospital, Annapolis, Md.

Co. D. 35th U. S. Infantry,
Nogales, Ariz., July 29.

Dear Aunt and “Speed:” – Your letter of the 13th at hand and I was very much pleased to hear from you.

In regard to the country here, will say it is mountainous and mostly sand and rock, but it surely has changed since I first came. At first there was nothing but sand and rocks and a few cactus plants, but now the hills and everything is nice and green. It rains here every day and that is the reason. The other evening we had a regular cloudburst and one of the ditches running along across town, which was formerly dry, had six feet of water in it.

We took another hike out into the hills again last week. We dug trenches, patterned after those in Europe, had bayonet fencing, drill, etc. In spare time we caught tarantulas. They live in the ground and we dig them out, first using a little water to bring them to the top. They are poisonous and we do not monkey with them with our hands. We also caught a black snake and coach whip snake.

Our company was on guard Monday night and go on again Thursday night.

Nogales is about 5,600 population and is like all other towns. Of course there are some things different. Most things are higher priced than at home, and they sure do try to soak the soldier. A great many of the people are Mexicans or Spanish. In the number of autos here they have got other towns of their size going some. Also the stores have their advertising and signs printed in two languages, United States and Mexican. There are three movie shows here, all 10c, and they are sure good shows.

The Army Y.M.C.A. is the place that does the entertaining for the soldiers. They have moving pictures three times a week, which are free, a small library and reading material, also other lines of entertainment.

This is all I am able to write at this time. Your loving nephew and cousin, Talsey F. Fink.