Most of the letters from soldiers I have been able to gather, from either the collection of the Ohio Historical Society or descendants, as indicated, are from the first months of the regiment's service, and speak more of camp life and longings for home than of marches and battles.

* Among the best are those of David Humphrey Blair, a corporal with Company D. Blair's letters, written from October 7, 1862 to November 20, 1864, cover many of the most important events of the regiment's service, including the Atlanta Campaign and its aftermath, with a combination of vivid observation and keen insight that make them essential reading for anyone interested in the 45th or the experience of the common soldier in the war.

Sample passage:
*  Francis M. Field, private, Company H. Nineteen letters written from September 14, 1862 to April 17, 1863. 

Sample passage:

           well David i would like for you to be her in camp with me a few days, i think you would
        see anuff ove soldering to do you with ought trying it. i think that i will have to stay in
           canetucky and git me a woman and bring along back to Ohio with me. there is more
           black wimen down here that there is whight wimen. tell the folks at home that i am all
           wright and very well satisfied but i would like to be at home and have mother to git
           breekfast and super once and a while. it would be a litel nicer than to eat hard crackers
           and coffee.

*  Marcus and Charles Gray, privates, Company K. Six letters written from April 1, 1862 to January 11, 1862.

Sample passage:

          I take this opportunity to direct you a few lines to let you know that I am well & hope
          these few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. But poor Mark is dead, he died
          before I wrote the last letter to you, but little did I think such a thing then or I never would
          have been there. The Doctor said that he knew that Marcus would lie a week before he
          died & ever time I went to see him he said he was getting along fine & would soon be
          well & I thought it so or I never would have went on the march but the Doctor knew he
          would not live over two days & knew that our camp would go along on that march & never
          said a word & Mark died two days afterwards & they had no chance to send me word nor
          they did not know where we were at the time. But I'll remember the doctor. I had a good
          talk with him since we came back & talked a little to plain to suit him & liked to have got
          in the guard house but I will have a settlement if we both live till this war is over.

* Hamilton Greer, corporal, Company C (later promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, Company B and 1st Lieutenant, Company H). Fours letters to his wife written from April 4, 1864 to July 23, 1864. From the Howard Greer Collection, The Center for Western Studies, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

Sample passage:

          We still keep hopeful and believe the time is not far distant when the South will give up
          the contest. Oh! Haste the day! I have confidence in the ability of our government to
          suppress the Rebellion and in the justice of our cause. I still think I shall be spared to
          return home and enjoy a happy life with my family. It may not be. I may fall in the field of
          battle, but not without faith in our Lord that all will be well. I feel more of the comforting
          influence of a saving faith in Christ Jesus than I have ever felt in years past. I think I can
          say Thy will be done. I need not say to you to pray for us. I know you do. I know we are
          constantly on your mind.

* Lovell Henslee, sergeant, Company K. One letter, to his wife, dated June 7, 1863

Sample passage:

          I believe my deare I have never gave you a description of the Ladys of this part of the
          contry nor do i intend to know, for it would be usless for me to attemp Sutch as think as I
          could not do them Justice. They visit our Camp every day with Stuf to Sell to the Boyes.
          They know a nought to ask big prices for there eatables but the Boyes Cheat them out of
          there eyes. There is none of them that have any education, give them five cents and they
          will take it for twenty five cents. They generally go way worse off than they Came. One of
          our Boys works a prety Sharp game but I wont Say an honest one, he takes his coffie
          and makes it without grinding and dyes [dries] it and then trades it to them.

*  William Humphreys, private, Company C. One letter, to his mother, dated April 4, 1864, from Andersonville prison. Transcription is accompanied by scan of original letter.

Sample passage:

          I am alive yet and I think that I will be able to worey it throug the Storm yet if nothing
          turns up. I dont want you to fret about me fore I will doe the best I know how. I have wrote
          one letter hom but have recieved no answer yet and I told you to send me a Box of
          provision.

*  William Alexander Kirkland, private, Company D. Five letters written from August 17, 1862 to April 20, 1863, four from Kirkland and one from Army official advising Kirkland's parents of his death.

Sample passage:

          Sir, I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and hope that you are the same. I
          don't know that I have got very much to write about this time. Company D and two or
          three more Companys were out on a scout and have just returned.  I did not get to go as
          I was detailed to stay and guard the baggage and very glad of it this morning for the boys
          are complaining about there feet being so sore. Some of them saying that there feet are
          all blistered. Jo Griffin says that his feet are as big as a hens ass. Jo is a great boy. 

*  Newton M. Thomas, private, Company A. Two letters, one dated February 12, 1863 and one February 26, 1863, to his sweetheart in Ohio.

Sample passage:

          I am getting along as well as any one could expect. I am well pleased and well satisfied.
          we have some vary lively times at our house plenty to eat and plenty to drink all kinds of
          chicken fixens. the best of all we have two pirty ladys at our house to get up all thoes
          things. they are vary lively and fool of fun. they are vary good hands to crack seom good
          jokes with the boys. one is from mish and the other is a Ky and they are bouth Union
          teath and toenail. that is more than some of the boys are that I left be hind. if you come a        cross any secesh just let them pass down this way and we will take care of them for they
          are like poison to us
*  Francis M. Field, private, Company H. Nineteen letters written from September 14, 1862 to April 17, 1863. 

Sample passage:

           well David i would like for you to be her in camp with me a few days, i think you would
        see anuff ove soldering to do you with ought trying it. i think that i will have to stay in
           canetucky and git me a woman and bring along back to Ohio with me. there is more
           black wimen down here that there is whight wimen. tell the folks at home that i am all
           wright and very well satisfied but i would like to be at home and have mother to git
           breekfast and super once and a while. it would be a litel nicer than to eat hard crackers
           and coffee.

*  Marcus and Charles Gray, privates, Company K. Six letters written from April 1, 1862 to January 11, 1862.

Sample passage:

          I take this opportunity to direct you a few lines to let you know that I am well & hope
          these few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. But poor Mark is dead, he died
          before I wrote the last letter to you, but little did I think such a thing then or I never would
          have been there. The Doctor said that he knew that Marcus would lie a week before he
          died & ever time I went to see him he said he was getting along fine & would soon be
          well & I thought it so or I never would have went on the march but the Doctor knew he
          would not live over two days & knew that our camp would go along on that march & never
          said a word & Mark died two days afterwards & they had no chance to send me word nor
          they did not know where we were at the time. But I'll remember the doctor. I had a good
          talk with him since we came back & talked a little to plain to suit him & liked to have got
          in the guard house but I will have a settlement if we both live till this war is over.

* Hamilton Greer, corporal, Company C (later promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, Company B and 1st Lieutenant, Company H). Fours letters to his wife written from April 4, 1864 to July 23, 1864. From the Howard Greer Collection, The Center for Western Studies, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

Sample passage:

          We still keep hopeful and believe the time is not far distant when the South will give up
          the contest. Oh! Haste the day! I have confidence in the ability of our government to
          suppress the Rebellion and in the justice of our cause. I still think I shall be spared to
          return home and enjoy a happy life with my family. It may not be. I may fall in the field of
          battle, but not without faith in our Lord that all will be well. I feel more of the comforting
          influence of a saving faith in Christ Jesus than I have ever felt in years past. I think I can
          say Thy will be done. I need not say to you to pray for us. I know you do. I know we are
          constantly on your mind.

* Lovell Henslee, sergeant, Company K. One letter, to his wife, dated June 7, 1863

Sample passage:

          I believe my deare I have never gave you a description of the Ladys of this part of the
          contry nor do i intend to know, for it would be usless for me to attemp Sutch as think as I
          could not do them Justice. They visit our Camp every day with Stuf to Sell to the Boyes.
          They know a nought to ask big prices for there eatables but the Boyes Cheat them out of
          there eyes. There is none of them that have any education, give them five cents and they
          will take it for twenty five cents. They generally go way worse off than they Came. One of
          our Boys works a prety Sharp game but I wont Say an honest one, he takes his coffie
          and makes it without grinding and dyes [dries] it and then trades it to them.

*  William Humphreys, private, Company C. One letter, to his mother, dated April 4, 1864, from Andersonville prison. Transcription is accompanied by scan of original letter.

Sample passage:

          I am alive yet and I think that I will be able to worey it throug the Storm yet if nothing
          turns up. I dont want you to fret about me fore I will doe the best I know how. I have wrote
          one letter hom but have recieved no answer yet and I told you to send me a Box of
          provision.

*  William Alexander Kirkland, private, Company D. Five letters written from August 17, 1862 to April 20, 1863, four from Kirkland and one from Army official advising Kirkland's parents of his death.

Sample passage:

          Sir, I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and hope that you are the same. I
          don't know that I have got very much to write about this time. Company D and two or
          three more Companys were out on a scout and have just returned.  I did not get to go as
          I was detailed to stay and guard the baggage and very glad of it this morning for the boys
          are complaining about there feet being so sore. Some of them saying that there feet are
          all blistered. Jo Griffin says that his feet are as big as a hens ass. Jo is a great boy. 

*  Newton M. Thomas, private, Company A. Two letters, one dated February 12, 1863 and one February 26, 1863, to his sweetheart in Ohio.

Sample passage:

          I am getting along as well as any one could expect. I am well pleased and well satisfied.
          we have some vary lively times at our house plenty to eat and plenty to drink all kinds of
          chicken fixens. the best of all we have two pirty ladys at our house to get up all thoes
          things. they are vary lively and fool of fun. they are vary good hands to crack seom good
          jokes with the boys. one is from mish and the other is a Ky and they are bouth Union
          teath and toenail. that is more than some of the boys are that I left be hind. if you come a        cross any secesh just let them pass down this way and we will take care of them for they
          are like poison to us
Most of the letters from soldiers I have been able to gather, from either the collection of the Ohio Historical Society or descendants, as indicated, are from the first months of the regiment's service, and speak more of camp life and longings for home than of marches and battles.

* Among the best are those of David Humphrey Blair, a corporal with Company D. Blair's letters, written from October 7, 1862 to November 20, 1864, cover many of the most important events of the regiment's service, including the Atlanta Campaign and its aftermath, with a combination of vivid observation and keen insight that make them essential reading for anyone interested in the 45th or the experience of the common soldier in the war.

Sample passage:
Letters
I generally make it a point to look out for number one when there is any accomodations like that to get and I got a prety good horse which I have yet and found the tree of a U.S. saddle and bits in a smoke house which I took possession of. I finished my bridle with 2 pieces of rope one for a head stall the other a rain I took my knapsack straps for a girth and made rope stirrups of a piece of coffee sack I put my blanket under the saddle and carried a footmans blanket to get it to ride on.

Most of us had horses but I had the best one and the best rig so they called me sargent Burnside because I wear my whiskers like that general some of the boys only had coffee sack rope for bridle they tied one end round the horses nose and held the other to guide by We had many a hearty laugh over our burlesque.