Introduction

One of the most effective ways to immerse yourself in history is to read first-hand accounts of those who actually experienced it. Collected here are letters written by soliders home about their experiences fighting in both the Civil War and World War I.

The extended Pray family of Waterville, Ohio sent three young men to fight in the Civil War, and displayed are all of their correspondence in the order in which it was written, providing a narrative that weaves among the family members as the war marched on.

In addition, two accounts of World War I are provided, including Albert Graf of Waterville and John Gallagher of Toledo, both of which would come back home after the war.

The Toledo Lucas County Public Library would like to thank the Waterville Historical Society for their willingness to partner on this project, as they were instrumental in getting these collections online and widely accessible.