Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Twenty letters from Orrin Bowen, Company A, 32nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. Bowen's first letter pre-dates the war and he
writes to establish a friendship and writes of their teaching jobs and friends in common in Girard and Coldwater. The second
letter he writes from training camp and says "This is my third week of soldier life and I do not like it very well, but still,
I think it is my duty to be here and I shall stay till the war is over or till I am disabled." Subsequent letters describe
camp life in Michigan, travel by train to Florida with descriptions of the Cumberland Mountains, Civil War battle sites, geography
of Georgia and Florida. On arrival in Florida he describes the terrain: "It does not seem to be a land of beauty, but low,
flat and undesirable to one of Northern breeding (6/4/98). He writes of the abundance of chameleons and alligators and offers
to send either to her. His letter of July 7 tells of going to Port Tampa to see the transport ships arrive from Cuba, describes
the wounded and their tales of the battle at Santiago made difficult by outdated rifles and Spanish ambushes. "What a shame
that this, our glorious country, can't arm its men equal to down-trodden Spain!" Bowen writes of camp life in Florida, dirt
and rain, poor food, flooded tents, miserable heat. He writes of his ambition to leave teaching to study law and responds
to Dean's dislike of lawyers (7/5/98). He also reponds to her interest in his "moral welfare." Bowen writes about what it
must be like to be a girl, how much more fortunate they are because they cannot be soldiers. "One long continued round of
pleasure is the idea that I have of a girl's life. She doesn't have to go to war, or work in the field, or in the store, but
instead occupies the parlor and receives company." (6/10/98) He writes of the difficulty and hard labor of breaking and moving
camp, how pleased he is the war is over and later of visiting St. Augustine, FL. Bowen continues some correspondence with
Dean when he returns to Michigan, the last letter dated Feb. 21, 1899 from Ann Arbor, MI where he is studying law.