John W.A. Gillespie (1837-1913), a friend of the Porter family, enlisted with Company B of the 78th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In January 1862, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant with Company G and then Captain the following September. He was discharged at the end of his term of service in December 1864. Like many soldiers, John sent letters to the editor of his local newspaper, the Daily Zanesville Courier (renamed the Zanesville Daily Courier in 1862) with news from the frontlines of both local and national interest. His dramatic accounts of the 78th Regiment's engagements with the Confederate Army published in the paper can be found in the Newspapers section of the Harvey Collection, along with those of several other authors. John's more introspective letters to Francis and Huldah Porter are collected below.