Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Sophia Birchard Hayes, Sunday, July 17, 1864

Martinsburg, Virginia, July 17 (Sunday), 1864.

Dear Mother: — I am much obliged for your letter by Colonel Comly. Glad you still are in good health. We are pretty busy now trying to prevent the escape of the Rebel raiders who have plundered Maryland. . . . The weather is very warm but we have good breezes and excellent water in this region so that campaigning is not unpleasant.

I notice Mitchell's name is often mentioned in connection with Sherman's army. He has a fine position. I trust he will come safely out of it. — Love to all.

Affectionately, your son,

R.

Mrs. Sophia Hayes.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 483

Released

Among the Union prisoners that arrived at Fortress Monroe from Richmond, Va., was our ex-local Charles H. Comley, Sergeant Major of the 20^th Indiana regiment.  He refused to avail himself of the thirty days furlough offered the prisoners to go home and see their families, but immediately rejoined his regiment.  Good for Charlie!

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 1, 1862, p. 1

Charlie Comly

The good-natured face of the gentleman, whose name is above mentioned, will be remembered by many of our citizens from having served in the capacity of “local” to this paper, some two or three years since.  It will also be recollected that Charlie was taken prisoner after a hard fight – “the only man who did fight,” said the enemy – at Chickamacomico last summer.  We had understood that he had been sent with other prisoners to South Carolina, but this proves to be an error.  In a letter to his mother; received a few days since, he says that he is still at Richmond, and has been treated in all respects as a gentleman.  This may be so, but still as his letter had to be inspected before being mailed, perhaps it was policy for him to disguise his real situation.  As Charlie is a citizen of Iowa, by virtue of several years’ residence here, Senator Harlan has promised to intercede for his exchange and we may expect ere long to hear of him again fighting for the maintenance of the Union.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, February 17, 1862, p. 1