Well,
I want you to write to me and let me know if you have got my money or not. I
told Doctor King to write to you and have you come to Machias and get my
money. He said he would. There was one bond of three hundred dollars due one
year from the first of next March and a town bond of three hundred dollars due
next (blurred) hundred and six dollars in money and a fifty dollar note
amounting to seven hundred and fifty six dollars and now I want to know if you
have got it or not. I will send you thirteen dollars in this letter and my
likeness. I will send you thirteen dollars in this letter which I have just
drawed and my likeness so good-bye for this time.
Andrew Helser
When you
write to me put on this address Andrew Helser, Washington, DC, 188 reg
comp. A, NY Vol in care of Capt. Curtis.
(That was written on stationery with a picture of Lincoln surrounded by eight
members of his cabinet)
I received your letter day before yesterday morning and I was very glad to hear that you were all well day before yesterday. I went into a battle. There was four killed in our company and twenty wounded but I came out all right. One ball went through my pants and one stopped in my blanket but neither one drew blood on me.
We have hot weather down here now. The leaves
just begin to fall from the trees. you said that you had not seen Doctor King
yet. I want you to go to Machias and see him and I think that you can get my
money. If you inquire for Doctor King in Machias most anyone will tell you
where he lives. He lives in the village. I left a town bond of three hundred
dollars and a county bond of three hundred dollars and one hundred and six
dollars in money and a fifty dollar note. The fifty dollar note I earnt last
summer to Peliakim (?) Wright's and in all there is seven hundred and fifty
six dollars. Now I want you to go there and see him and I think that you can
get it. I left it with Doctor King. You know you inquire for Doctor King and
anyone will tell you where he lives. I am well and healthy at present. You
must write often and I will do the same. So good-bye for this time.
Andrew
Helser to his uncle Andrew Mihm.
Adress Mr. Andrew Helser, Co. A, 18th regt.
N.Y.V. City Point, VA, in care of Capt. Curtis. Perhaps you cannot read this
but you must do the best you can. Go and see Doctor King and then write to me
and let me know if can get my money or not. He is an honest man and I guess
it will come out all right. He told me he would write to you and have you
come to Machias and get my money. Perhaps he has written to you and you have
not got the letter. Write soon,
Andrew Helser.
Well, we are having some rainy weather now. We had a thunder shower the other day and it rained a considerable. We had about three inches of snow which is the most that we have had this winter. That lasted one day.
Well, Andrew, I wish
you would write soon and let me know if you have got my money of Doctor King
or not. Francis has left Alexander's and went up to Noah Little's. I had a
letter from him a short time ago. Little's folks are all well. Well, I can
think of no more to write so good-bye for this time and rite often and all of
the news from your nephew,
Andrew Helser.
Address, Andrew Helser, Co. A,
188th reg. NY Vol, first div., secd brigade, fifth corps.
The remaining correspondence is a letter from the reverend dated June 15th, 1865 saying Andrew had died that morning, and three legal-type documents from the uncle, Andrew Mihm, to Noah Little who was appointed guardian for five minor orphans all with the last name Helser, with Mihm turning over money to Noah Little in just about the exact amount that was prominently mentioned in the letters. Those are dated around the end of 1865, beginning of 1866. So it looks like Andrew Helser never found out if he got his money back or not.
