January 2nd, 1865 - Olathe, Kansas

My dear and children:

As we expect to leave here day after to-morrow I will write you a few lines again and I have a chance to send it directly to you by John Majors him and Ann are here on a visit I am still enjoying first rate health and I would like awful well to hear from you before I leave here. I haven't had a word from you yet I begin to fear that some of you are sick, but I hope not our reg. expects to rendezveaux near Lawrence on the 6th of this month. I don't know whether we will be paid off then or not if we ain't paid off then we will be soon after we get to Ft. Riley. I do wish that we could have got our pay here for I would had such a good chance to send you some money and some other things but as it is I can not send you anythng I will send you a few of my cloths. I tried to send you __ but I could not get any. O yes Will is mustered in second Lieut. For three more years. It may suit him but if they would make me a major general I would not take it three more years. If I get out this time I will enlist once more but it will be to serve with you I don't see why I can't hear from you. New Years went off very dry. I was on guard and I feel rather sleepy to-day. I have turned in my horse and have got another but I don't like him very much. I will write a few lines separate.

     J.A.N.

Notes:
[w] John Majors and Ann (sister and brother-in-law of John)

January 11, 1865 - Ft. Riley, Kansas

My dear wife:

We arrived here about two hours ago and while the boys are getting dinner I thought I would write you a few lines first I am well and hearty we had a pretty good trip a coming up. It was pretty cold but as long as it was dry we did not mind. We are camped half mile above the Fort in the timber bottom. I expect we will stay here or about here till spring. I sent you 5 pounds of sugar and some other things. I suppose you have got them before this. That led that I sent you in a gunny sack I want you to take care of for half of it belongs to Walt and take care of the other amunition and don't let it be used up. Well I will quit and write again soon. I send you all my best love.

Yours in haste.

     John A. Norton

February 5, 1865 - Ft. Riley, Kansas

My dear wife:

I will again write you a few lines. First I will let you know that I am well and I hope that this will find you and the children well. We are now in quarters at the fort and doing post duty. We moved up here day before yesterday it is a nice place our room is large and clean and plenty big. We have good bunks and plenty of room all I dislike is the confusion that is always singing some whistling some talking some playing cards and a general clatter of feet, but I am beginning to get used to it. There is a good kitchen and tables and good stables for our horses. Walt caught a catfish that weighted eighty pounds. I tell you I have learned something about catfishing. When I get home I can catch a plenty in the Verdigris. I hope that father will pay the taxes on our land. Will got a letter from home last night they wrote the bushwackers had been to Aubrey and burnt Old Bells house and Lushers and robed Frank Fristole. That is what they get by taking the 11th away from the border. Ben is still in the hospital yet I don't see that his eye gets any better. Burr is getting better he is going to try and get sick leave. I will write few lines separate to you.

Yours till death.

Sarah Norton      John. A. Norton

Notes:
[h] Frank Fristole
[h] Lushers

February 19th, 1865 -

My dear wife:

I left Riley night before last about two hours before night for home I rode thirty miles and staid till morning. I traveled all day yesterday in the rain got here to friend Kittys about middle the afternoon but as I have got to be back to Riley Thursday night and my horse is already jaded I dare not venture any farther I would of liked very much to see you once more before I had to leave the plains but I will not get to see you any more till my time is out. Now about business, the money that I have with me is to be divided as follows one hundred and seventy-five dollars of Walts to be given to mother for safe keeping. Twenty dollars is Wm. B. Godfreys to be given to father or mother, eighty dollars is Nates to be given to his father, fifty-five dollars is Ed Starkling to be given his wife and forty-five dollars is Niram Nortons to be given to his wife and I send you seventy-five dollars it is in a package with Nates I have the rest of them separate with the name and amount on out side. Now wife I want you to take Niram and Startlings money over to their wives yourself (if you can) if you can't send them word as quick as you can take a receipt for all money. Get John to write them for you. The sack of coffee is for you and Nirams wife to divide equal. Pay your debts and settle with John I don't expect I will get to send you anymore money till my time is out.

Notes:
   Kitty
   Walt
   Wm. B. Godfrey
    Nate
   Nirum and Startlings
   John (maybe Rose)

March 17th, 1865 - Cottonwood Station, Nebraska

My dear wife and children:

I will try and write you a few lines to let you know where and how I am, first I will say that I am now in hospital. We arrived here on the evening of the tenth I believe. I had not been well for three days. That night it finally settled in my right side the plurisy as usual, by morning it was pretty bad that day and night and the next day I suffered pretty bad by the time the doctor got the pain stopped they wanted to take me on for I was (the only bugler?) there was in the company but I would not go I knew it would bring the pain back again Billy King one of our Co. is here doing duty in the commissary he told me said John don't go another dammed inch till you get well, he said the hospital here was good and I would soon get well and I have found it so. This is the fourth day I have been here and a warm room and plenty of good vituals to eat. Even butter and I am almost well now. I sit up as much as I want to and walk around the room and feel well only I am quite weak. Now I don't want you to feel uneasy about me at all for I think it will be the making of me this summer for my system is well forged out I am glad that I ain't on the road to- day for the wind is in boys faces and blows a perfect gale of wind and dirt. The 16th regiment of Kansas will be along here in ten or twelve days and I expect that some of our boys that we left at Riley will be along with them. If nothing happens I expect to go on with them there is a lot of troops coming out here this spring I don't think we will have much Indian fighting this spring for it is thought that when the soldiers get after them in force that they will scatter for the mountains. I don't know when I will ever hear from you again it will not be till I get to the company again for if any comes they will go to the Co. Well I am getting a little tired so I will quit for this time and write again soon.

From your fond husband.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
   Billy King one of our Co.

April 4th, 1865 - Cottonwood Springs, Nebraska

My dear wife:

I am going to try and write you a short letter once more. I am still in hospital. I was about well but I took the sore throat. I got about well and I took the disepclas it began around the roots of both ears it has run nearly all over my head but they managed to keep it out of my eyes so far. You would not know me if you were to see me now all the hair is shaved off my head and they have put on lunar castic on my head and face till I black as a nigger except from my eyes down over my mouth and chin. It has not caused me much pain. Only my head has been sore that I could not lay on it. Tell John I meant no offense about rent for room. I place all trust in John I know he will do nothing but what is rite. I want you to write me as soon as you get this direct to John A. Norton Cottonwood Springs, Neb. in care of CS King.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
   John (maybe Rose)
    CS King

April 14th, 1865 - Cottonwood Springs, Nebraska

My dear wife:

I will again write you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along, well I am still at hospital and I will tell you all that is the matter with me, after I came here and got over the plurisy I took the sore throat and my throat sweld up on the outside and there is still an enlargement on my windpipe though not large but it still keeps a little sore and hinders me some from swallowing. The doctor says the soreness will all go away, but he thinks the bunch will never all go away. I am getting to feel pretty well. There s a squad of our regiment of 26arrived here yesterday and are a going to go on to-morrow. The doctor says I may go with them if I want to. I am going to try and see the Lieut. that is in command and if he can furnish me a good place to ride I believe I shall go on with them. I will not finish this letter till I know whether I go on or not I wrote the last part of the letter yesterday since then I have heard from the regiment they were at Larime and were going out into the Black Hills. So if I don't go on with the squad I am afraid I won't get with the regiment this summer. I have now given up all hopes of getting home till my time is out and will be glad to get home then. So write to the Co. well wife I have been over and saw the Lieut. and he has no way of hauling me so I don't expect that I will get to go now. I am ordered away from the hospital. I shall go over to the quarters this afternoon. I will be attached to some company for rations. Well I will have to quit for this time.

May God Bless you all is my daily prayer.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Continued: Wife I expect by the time you get this that you will be moved. Now I will tell you what I want you to do. I want you to take good care of my saddle and bridles and don't let them get scattered and keep them where the mice won't eat them and those chains and straps that was in an old sack out doors when I left keep them in the dry and that little bullet weighing eighteen pounds don't let it get lost. I expect now to get home again to stay and if I do you know I will need all those things so take as good care of them as you can. I feel uneasy about Morris. I fear you will lose him before I get home but I know you will do all you can to keep him. I will try and buy two or three pigs if you can keep them. I tell you what I want dun. Now I say do as you think best about things for I know you will do the best you can I advise you not to all leave home at once no more you can help for you know how things used to come up missing once in a while I hope you can get the doors and roof fixed good so that you can be dry and comfortable get along the best you can. I hope now to be home some time in July if I do that will give me time to fix up a comfortable house for winter Oh yes try hard to raise a lot of chickens if you have to buy some meal to feed them on, yes and speaking of meal I want you to get some good meal about the first of July and keep it for me till I come.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
   Morris

April 16th, 1865 - Cottonwood Springs, Nebraska

My dear wife:

I wrote to you three days ago in the evening after I had mailed your letter. thank God I received two letters from you. Well I had been ordered into the quarters and the fact is I did not like the outfit and I could not get to go on to the regiment and I felt down but when I got your letters I felt relieved and happy and I have felt well ever since till last night when we got a telegrapher dispatch of the assination of President Lincoln and secretary Seward it has cast a gloom over every man at the post the flag to-day is at half mast and they are firing a cannon every half hour all day. It certainly will be a heavy blow on the government. Whether it will prolong the war or not is to be seen, but God forebid it should. I don't much expect now that I will get to join the regiment again until the come back. Whether I will stay here till they come back I can't tell but one thing certain I intend to take things perfectly easy and you bet that I am a going to take care of myself. Now Sarah don't be uneasy a bit about me for you know that I always have friends wherever I am and I am making and having friends here. There was one last night that said Mr. John I heard to-day that you was out of money I told him I was, He handed me five dollars and told me that if I ever had a chance I could pay him, if not it was all right I am getting strength quite fast. The weather is now warm and pleasant and I knock around considerable and it does me good. Yesterday I had a quart of pickles and a quart of molasses given to me and I am going to buy one half pound of butter it will cost me a half dollar but I don't care I hope September if nothing happens that I will be home where I can get butter without paying that for it. I expect that you will lose old Pide from what you wrote for if she brings a calf before there is grass she will not be apt to go up but I hope not I hope to home in time to put up feed myself another fall, but the way things are working out here it is perfectly uncertain when our regiment will be ordered back in, they maybe ordered back within two weeks and they may not be ordered back till late in fall. We can't tell now anything about it, but I think that they will be back in time to be mustered out by the time that our time is out. I hope your spring has been early for the cattle sake. I am so thankful to hear that your health keeps so good. God grant that it may continue well I will quit for a awhile for dinner is about ready.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
Assassination of President Lincoln
"Seward": William H. Seward, Secretary of State under Pres. Abraham Lincoln.

April 17th

Well wife I did not finish writing last night as I will try and write a little more it is quite cold again this morning. The rebel troop that are in our service that I spoke of are just a coming in I expect that two companys will stay here. I don't know where to tell you to direct only to the company it may be that I will get them sometime well I can't think of anything more to write at this time I will direct this to Madison. Take care of yourself and children and do the best you can and may God Bless you all.

From your fond husband.

   John A. Norton

May 13th, 1865 - Cottonwood Springs, Nebraska

Dear wife:

Another week has rolled around and I will again with pleasure write you a few lines. As I know you are anxious about my health I have the pleasure of informing you that it is better now than it has been since I have been here in fact I am well now only I have not got very stout yet I don't intend to get very well here, that is I don't intend to let the officers know how well I am for I am a going to take your advice to take good care of myself as I can. I don't intend to do duty at the post if I can help it, since I wrote to you last I have had the great pleasure of reading two of your kind and good letters one was the first- you wrote after you moved, the last was Apr. 28, how thankful I am to hear that you all keep so well and that things are a prospering so well with you as they are. I do hope that health and prosperity may still be with you. I wrote in my last letter I have heard some good news there was a -----------then that all those that had been sick and was not able for duty should be mustered out and I expect that in the East it will be so, but out in this forsaken country nothing goes on rite. I may get discharged before the regiment is but it is uncertain. I have seen a man that has been up where the regiment is he says that a part of the regiment is at deer creek a hundred miles above Laramie and the rest are 25 miles father on the Platte bridge he said he heard Colonel Plumb say that the boys should be back to Leavenworth by the time that their time was out, there was a little fight 15 miles below here yesterday the Indians run in on a ranch and killed one man and drove off some cattle there is no buffalo up in this country at this time of the year and the Indians are pretty near starved out. They want the cattle to eat, the soldiers went out after them at last account had killed three of them. I don't intend to go on to the regiment for as near as I can find out it will be a good deal like the Fort Smith trip I think that most of them will have to walk back. I don't want any of that you know. So I shall try and stay here and if I am sent back from here it will be with some train. I am very sorry that you could not get my letters more regular, to hear how I was getting along for I know how you felt, but thank God our prayers were heard and I feel now that I will be restored to you and may God speed the day, but don't give yourself any more uneasiness about me but put your whole trust in God and do the best you can till I return. Remembering to take care of yourself and children tell Jimmy that pa thinks if he tries rite hard that he can be a good boy. Tell Charly that before all the warm days are gone pa will come home and what does me the most good is to think that if I am spared to get home that I can stay there. Try and keep Morris if you can. Direct your letters here. It snowed one day and has been quite cold here this week, blame this country I wish I was out of it, but I try to be as contented as I can, praying that all will yet be well. I shall write I hope to hear from you again soon.

No more at this time but remain your fond husband.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton

Notes:
Colonel Plumb
Morris
His children Jimmy and Charley

May 22nd, 1865 - Cottonwood Springs, Nebraska

My dear wife:

Well I wrote a letter to you yesterday but this afternoon I was ordered by my company and I leave here in the morning for the West. There is a train here that has got to be escorted up to Julesburg 100 miles above here and they are scarce of men here that is the reason that they have ordered me off I think. I don't care I had rather be on the road than to be here only I thought that it might be that I would get to go to Leavenworth. I hope this will find you all well as this leaves me. I will quit and go to bed for I have to be up early for we start at seven o'clock. So good night and happy dreams to you as ever,

Your husband.

Sarah Norton      John A. Norton