Camp Kellogg Oct 1st 1862

     Dear Sister and kind friends
	I recieved your letter this evening &
hasten to reply -         I was very glad to
hear from you & more so now than ever
because I am far away from Home & all
that is near & dear to me on earth
	It was no new start for me to
enlist    I had contemplated doing so
for some time -             yet I should not
have enlisted this fall if James had been
suited with my horse        I have no
doubt but what it is all for the best that
I should join the army -          There is a great
field here for any man to labor in -   morally
We have voted as a Co to be true to ourselves
the loved ones at home -    our country -    our
officers & our God                I believe that most
all of the men in our Co mean to do right
	But it is a trying place -      There
is much very much to draw men away
from virtue, here -      War in its best
apparel is an awful reality

A robber of homes -    a murderer of loved
ones -    a spoiler of our country,-   the
sum of all evils.                    Our country
must be preserved if possible -    but
oh! what a sacrifice -      Who can
estimate the value of so many precious lives?
Is our whole country worth so many noble men?
	I am a soldier now       I mean to
do a soldiers duty – if possible – If I die in
the army I have no fears of death -    To me
it is a beautiful angel of freedom –
sent to take us away from care & sorrow
    If I live I shall rejoice to meet my
dear friends again when I return
    I hope you will remain a united
church in Locke – I believe that you will
	I shall be very glad to hear from
                         c
some of you oc^asionally      I will write
as often as I recieve a letter from
any of you -  I shall remember those
in Locke & Perry who have been my true 
friends kindly -         Enemies I never
    notice              I like soldiering as 

well as I expected to         We have
such fare at present – that we have no
reason to complain -      If we never
have any worse than we do now we
[I?] aught not to complain –
	It tired me at first to drill        but
I can stand it now as well as any –
I was sick 3 days – was in the Hospital ½ 
day -        They have excellent care in the Hospital
     It makes one feel very sad though to
stand & look at so many sick ones
so far from their home & friends -      Men
	I went home last week – but did
not have much time to visit      I expect
it was the last visit for the present
	I hope to return home -   after this
trouble is settled -   to enjoy the society of
my friends again -    but if I do not
it is all right -            I hope that our
     friends in Locke will make up
     that back pay    especially that Br
    Rann will pay Geo Fisher 3,00
    that I owe him

We have not been mustered in yet
We have not recieved our uniform Horses nor
arms yet =  -                  We eat drink sleep
drill etc. at present -     We have had
some good meetings in our co –
What the future will bring I know
not                       I have just as much of
a desire to live right now    as I had
when I tried to labor with you –
                          Cav
	The 6th ^ Reg is full & I
heard yesterday that there were about
500 men for the 7th here -    We 
camp upon a sand hill about 1 mile
east of the Rapids    We have to bring
our water to drink & cook with about
½ a mile -    There has been some
    talk of our moveing to Detroit
	Direct to me Camp Kellogg
Grand Rapids    care Capt D.G. Boyce
6th Cavalry   I shall be glad to hear
      from you often
		    Yours as ever
				W.W. Olds