Samuel Worthington was a Private in Company A, 11th [Cavalry] Regiment, Kansas Volunteers. Worthington's place of residence when he mustered in was Leavenworth, Kansas. Writing from Fort Riley, Kansas, this letter to his mother provides some sense of his mother's emotions by writing him about her fears for his safety. Worthington writes that he enjoys letters from home but he prefers not "to be constantly reminded how near it breaks your heart to have one away from home, etc., etc." He writes that his current duties are to copy dispatches that are to be sent to eastern newspapers such as the New York Times, the Boston Commonwealth, Harpers Weekly, and his home newspaper the Leavenworth Conservative. He feels that fears of Indian attacks are exaggerated in hopes of having more troops sent to Fort Riley. A complete transcription is available by clicking "Text Version" below.