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To his wife

No mail, sickness (fever). Includes a letter on the last page to his daughter Georgiana in which he encourages her to learn to read and write so she can send him a letter.

Written at Camp Winfield Scott.

GLC04558.011

To his wife

Sea trip to Roanoke. "General Burnsides... think we shall be on our way home soon but even he may be mistaken...." Expected expedition to Norfolk. Letter continued on 1st of March. Written on patriotic stationery. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.012

To his wife

Fleet leaving for Newbern, drawing half-rations. "Yes, we are getting to be sober and steady, if we dont it is our own fault, for we have preaching almost every night..." Mentions that the official chaplain is lazy in providing mail and preaching...

GLC04558.013

To his wife

Drill, shooting guns, health problems of other men. "The inhabitants are a hard miserable looking set what I have seen of them and the contrabands say that most of them are rebels at heart for all they have taken the oath of allegiance." Rumors of...

GLC04558.014

To his wife

Pay day. Describing feelings in battle: "If you want to know just how I felt when I went into battle it would be hard telling exactly but in the first place I felt most d---d tired other ways I felt well enough, wasn't at all afraid [of] the idea...

GLC04558.015

To his wife

Mails, expedition to Elizabeth City by other troops and desire to fight. New clothing, suggestions for farm management. The letter is continued the next day. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.017

To his wife

Preparations for march and expedition including cleaning guns, etc. Written on patriotic stationery. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.018

To his wife

Received portrait of family but glass is cracked. Expedition delayed. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.019

To his wife

Expedition to and battle at Elizabeth City [Camden, N.C. 4/19] described at length: 12 hour forced march of 35 miles, fatigue, errors in battle formation, thrown back and reformation in woods: "We were rallyed again here under the shelter of the...

GLC04558.020

To his wife

Mails, frying (and living-off) doughnuts, payday early because the Colonel has "the best brandy of any regiment." Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.021

To his wife

Clothing, trimming his hair, shell-collecting, "I hope that McClellan will bag the whole nest of rebels at Yorktown...." Describes how he drills with equipment and mentions a Burnside order "directing us to inscribe on our colors the words Camden...

GLC04558.022

To his wife

Soldiers leaving on furlough, one of whom "told us that the Dickinson Guards might kiss his [drawing of donkey]...." Describes men pretending sickness to avoid drill, salute for capture of New Orleans. "You must excuse the looks of this sheet for I...

GLC04558.023

To his wife

Mail call and man's epileptic seizure, rumor of Richmond's capture, news accounts of battle at Camden.

GLC04558.024

To his wife

Farm work (neighbors helped put-in crops), more rumors of Richmond's capture, drills, call for 100,000 men: "I think that the best way to end the concern [of enough men] would be to enlist and arm the contrabands for all the darkeys I have talked...

GLC04558.025

To his wife

Home affairs: children, horses, business deals. Food: "We have plenty of salt pork, bacon, and beef there has been a lot of fat cattle brought here which they butcher so as to have fresh beef twice a week.... We get a kind of conglomerated...

GLC04558.026

To his wife

Short letter about going to hospital with diarrhea. Top of the letter is torn.

GLC04558.027

To his wife

Shock at daughter Lucy's death, sick in hospital.

GLC04558.028

To his wife

Left behind in hospital by regiment which is going to Newburn, unable to get furlough. Written at Camp Dickinson

GLC04558.029

To his wife

Still in hospital, regiment to go to Richmond, concerned about haying season at the farm, worries over children's severe illness: "Save them if it costs the farm and all the rest.

GLC04558.030

To his wife

Still in hospital, Regiment at Norfolk. Mail, picking whortle berries, wishing he could help on the farm, different tent styles. "There are about three hundred Contrabands sent from this island the other day to Newburn to go to school."

GLC04558.031

To his wife

Still in hospital. Family: "...how I do wish Dear Lib that I was at home to share your troubles, anxiety, sorrows, and to relieve you in some of your phisical [sic] labors.... How I tremble to think how near Georgiana also had been to the brink of...

GLC04558.032

To his wife

Discharged from hospital previous day. Waiting for regiment at Norfolk and their speedy mail service, dreamed of seeing family except Lucy.

GLC04558.033

To his wife

Laying around, regiment ordered from Newport News to Richmond, problems with fleas. Discusses rations from Uncle Sam and NC peddlers: "that come from main land in boats. There is sometimes as many as ten or a dozen here in a day and some of them...

GLC04558.034

To his wife

Voyage to Virginia, joining Pope's division. Written in Aquia Creek, Virginia, located in Stafford County.

GLC04558.035

To his wife

Re-joining regiment, likes camp. "Scouting parties are sent out every day who frequently have scermishes with parties of the enemy and unless the rebels play their scadaddle game their [sic] will soon be bloody work done." Expects to leave, but...

GLC04558.036