Letters Home: Hiram Roberts to his young daughter Nellie

Hiram P Roberts, Chaplain, HQ, 84th Illinois Infantry, sent this letter on Christmas Day in 1863 to his five year old daughter, Nellie.

Papa’s Log Cabin

Whiteside Tenn

Christmas Day



Darling Nellie

Your little letter came to me the other day & I was glad to get it. Tell Emma I thank her for writing it for you. I suppose you are having a good time to day. Did Kris Kringle bring you anything last night? I don’t believe he comes down this way at all for I haven’t heard anything about him. I haven’t anything to send you for a Christmas present so I will put in 25 cents & you may get what you want or what mama thinks is best.

Be a good girl & mind mamma & I shall love you all the better.

A Merry Christmas to you from

Papa

©2011 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum