The Civil War Letters of David W. Voyles, M. D.

Abstract

Dr. David W. Voyles (1834–1899) of Washington County, Indiana, served as Assistant Surgeon and Surgeon with the 66th Indiana Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. The letters of Dr. Voyles to his wife Susan, dating from November 1862 to January 1864, provide a glimpse into the mind of an educated, thoughtful man. Voyles wrote eloquently about the war, his political views (Republican and antislavery), and, like so many other soldiers, the lack of letters from home. Archivist Mary K. Marlatt has transcribed and edited the letters. Her introduction provides information on Voyles, his family, his regiment, and his life after the war.