Gilbert Stark and the 32nd Ohio Serve in Virginia, 1862

Letter from Gilbert J. Stark to His Family at Perry, Kansas (Part 3, November 1862)

Note: These old letters are part of the Stark family heritage and were shared with us by Irene Gordon of Ozawkie, a Stark descendant. The letters are 127 years old [in 1990], written in long hand by Gilbert Stark to his family. As we copied them we typed as nearly as possible the spelling and punctuation as he used it. A soldier in the Civil War, Gilbert Stark paints a picture of his times, which we now share.

[Gilbert Stark enlisted in Company B, 32^nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 8, 1862. Company B was recruited mainly in Union County, Ohio. Stark was promoted to Corporal on January 1, 1863. U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865, gives his age at enlistment as 27. The 32nd Ohio served in the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia in 1862, opposing Confederate General T.J. "Stonewall" Jackson.]

Direct to Gilbert J. Stark

92 Reg. Company B in care of Cap. Parmer OVT Winchester via

Charlston Virginia

Sunday Nov. 1st 1862

S. Starks.

Dear Sir.

Here I am with the 42 Encamped near Charleston about (?) miles from the Ohio river up the valley of the Great Canaway. We started from Portland  Jackson Co.  in Ohio  Oct. 21. Reached here the 30^th  Resting 1 day and ½ having my marched nearly eighty miles  I stood the march wel, the rebels retreated from Charleston and the Surrounding fortifications, an Our approach the inhabitan[t]s can say they numbered Eight thousand, the road we come follows the bank of the River and is very Good,  The Conaway  is navigable Some 20 miles above here now, for Small Steamers and in high water the Ohio River Boats Come up nearly to Sauly [?] which is 30 miles above here  Charlston Looks hard half the buildings or more being empty or burned down. Much of the property along this valley has bin destroyed it having ben held in Succession a number of times by union and rebel Soldiers  many Incidents worthy of note along the way Whick I must tell you When I return. This is What we would term a very ruf Country but the valley, a strip of Bottom land averaging perhaps a mile wide  is verry fine farming land producing the Crops of the north as well as tobacco in abundance  We passed many fine farms made so from Slave labor  it is Said a good Share of the Slaves are gon  Probably many takin or sent South by their masters, and not a small number gon north   

One Old Negro Woman came out to the gate as we marched along  by appearance the mother of a large family  She came Shouting and Claping her hands, declaring that we wer the men she had ben praying long to See. How long we are to Stay here I do not know. I think verry few if any in the regiment does now. Some think in a few weeks  We will go back to the Ohio river. Some think We are to gradually move South till we intersect Some Southern Railroad  Others that we are to Stay here to Keep the rebels out of the Salt works in this vicinity.

I should have written you before But I rarely have much time to write  I have had but two letters from home till this moment  While I am Writing the Lieutenant hands me two letters  One from my wife Dated the 14^th Oct the Other from O J Howard dated 22  As regards army movements I can tell you no news  your facilities for knowing them [are] ten to One to mine. Our resources for aught els except Uncle Sam furnishes is rather limited  I paid twenty cents for a Canteen of milk this morning a trifle over a quart  the Second time I have tasted any Since I left home, Still I find We Can enjoy tolerable health while we dispence with many of the Comforts of home.

            (no signature)

(To be continued)

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in October 1990.