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[Map of fortifications]

GLC02739.159

[Carte de visite of Nancy Jones]

Inscribed "Mother" with imprint of Burnett's Gallery on verso.

GLC02739.160

[Carte de visite of Joseph Jones]

Inscribed "Father" with cancelled tax stamp on verso.

GLC02739.161

[Tintype of Joseph Jones]

GLC02739.162

[Collection of Wilmot Thompson, C company, 1st regiment, Maine, sharpshooters] [Decimalized .01- .66]

Thompson served in the 1st Maine Sharpshooters and the 20th Maine Volunteers in Virginia. Includes forty-nine letters to his wife, Lizzie, with related personal papers, one account book (68 pages), and one wallet. The bulk of the material dates...

GLC02740

to my dear wife

He lets his wife know he has been examined and passed and will receive his bounty next Friday at which time he will send it to her.

GLC02740.01

to my dear wife

He had his picture taken but it didn't come out very well. He will try to get a furlough after he gets to Augusta and he will send more money home.

GLC02740.02

to my dear wife

He is now in Augusta, but does not think he can get a furlough now. He discusses the money he will send.

GLC02740.03

to my dear wife

He hopes he was not late in sending her money. He thinks of her when he goes to bed and when he wakes up. He wants her to get a photo taken.

GLC02740.04

to my dear wife

He sent her 100 dollars. He describes Gallops Island as a very "pretty place."

GLC02740.05

to my dear wife

He is lonely and has not heard from his wife in a while and hopes she is well. He hopes the time apart will soon pass.

GLC02740.06

to my dear wife

He still has not received any mail from her. He describes the movement of ships. Once again he tells her to write as often as she can.

GLC02740.07

to my dear wife

He says he thinks of her all the time. He is very lonely, he says again and tells her to write as often as she can.

GLC02740.08

to my dear wife

He misses her as usual. He repeats his lonliness and wants her to write. He has been washing all the afternoon and has rubbed the skin off his fingers.

GLC02740.10

to my dear wife

He answers in response to her suspicions that he may be straying. He says he would never do such a thing to his darling. He says he is a temperate man and has hardly drunk anything since being in the army. He suggests that she visit him.

GLC02740.11

to my dear wife

He worries that she may not receive the last money he sent. He expects to leave the island soon. Their transport arrived with Rebel prisoners.

GLC02740.12

to my dear wife

He warns her there may be some hard times. He mentioned previously that they would leave today but they are low on money.

GLC02740.13

to my dear wife

He has had a lovely Christmas and spent most of it asleep. He wants her to send a picture of herself. Once again, he tells her to have more confidence in him, for he has only spoken to one woman since he left. He says "I know I am a wicked man, but I...

GLC02740.14

to my dear wife

He is sad because he has not received any mail from her.

GLC02740.15

to my dear wife

He is going to have his picture taken, though it may be expensive. Everything on the island costs three times as much. He sent her more money express. He may sell his watch.

GLC02740.16

to my dear wife

He is on his way to Virginia. Iti is raining hard outside the tent while he writes. He describes the country as fine. There is one company from New York with them. He wishes she could be with them. Written at City Point- now named Hopewell

GLC02740.17

to my dear wife

The country is fine but he would enjoy it more if she were with him.. Grant's army is about 7 miles away. He mentions the next time he will send money.

GLC02740.18

to my dear wife

He is sick with a bad cold and cough. In other news they have not got their rifles yet. There will probably not be any fighting for some time. He asks her to send 4 stockings.

GLC02740.19

to my dear wife

There is talk of settling up at their present location. Where they are now was the site of a battleground last Spring. Tomorrow there is an inspection so everything has to be very clean.

GLC02740.20

to my dear wife

He received her picture. They have been in their present location without rifles and nothing to do for quite a while. He tells her to take good care of his babies.

GLC02740.21

to my dear wife

He tells the horrific story of having witnessed a prisoner's hanging.

GLC02740.22

to my dear wife

There is a battle going on now. He says if she could only see the women she accuses him of consorting with. They are all ugly and he wouldn't want to hug them.

GLC02740.23

to my dear wife

He expects the heaviest fighting to be done in the Spring, but he is not afraid. He describes a friend of his in the company. He asks her to send him a hat.

GLC02740.24

to my dear wife

It is snowing. They are told they must protect City Point now as the Rebels are fighting to the front. All night long, the wagons have come through with the sick and wounded. He complains about his mother whom he says abused him as a child.

GLC02740.25

to my dear wife

He mentions a man who enlisted three different times under three different names. He speaks of having seen hard times and harder sights yet, but his heart remains steadfast in his love for her,

GLC02740.26

to my dear wife

He requests mittens and asks her to write more often.

GLC02740.27

to my dear wife

He wants her to write more. He talks of searching for beans for breakfast but coming up empty-handed. He draws a picture full of dots and says it represents kisses for her and the baby.

GLC02740.28

to my dear wife

Some of the company has been sick but they have fattened up since they arrived 2 years sgo. He has gone through a lot of pens because of his letter writing and had to nuy more ink,

GLC02740.29

to my dear wife

He does not think the Rebels will be able to fight much longer. He suspects the war will be settled in the summer.

GLC02740.30

to my dear wife

very difficult to read.

GLC02740.31

to my dear wife

One of the lieutenants deserted to see his parents, but they caught him and sentenced him to be shot. The weather is quite warm now. They have their guns now.

GLC02740.32

to my dear wife

They have been under constant marching orders. They are now a few minutes walk from Rebel lines.

GLC02740.33

to my dear wife

He is sorry to hear the baby is sick. He is currently in the book house, just killing time. The Rebels currently have to keep shooting across lines all night to prevent deserters.

GLC02740.34

to my dear wife

He forgives her for writing "that letter," but does not say what was in the letter. He has got four months pay now besides the bounty money at his disposal.

GLC02740.35

to my dear wife

He is in site of the Rebels' picket line. They plan to surround them and starve them. They can't last much longer. He thinks he will come out all right.

GLC02740.36

to my dear wife

He describes a battle in which the Rebels lost 400 people.

GLC02740.37

to my dear wife

The Rebels lost 3,000 soldiers recently.He describes their efforts to take care of the dying and wounded.

GLC02740.38

to my dear wife

He warns her not to expect him home in a few months. It could be the rest of the year. He guesses that every day since they left they have marched about 300 miles.

GLC02740.39

to my dear wife

He has been feeling sick lately. He reassures her that he won't be reenlisting. He tells her to keep up the courage, for he will be coming home soon.

GLC02740.40

to my dear wife

He talks of wanting to come home. He speculates on when they may begin discharging soldiers. He also mentions seeing all the wounded from the last battle and how devastating it was.

GLC02740.41

to my dear wife

He has a bad cough. He plans to send her a picture of gallups island and city point. He will soon witness a man getting shot. They plan to shoot him so that he falls into the coffin. He worries his heart will get hardened to such sights.

GLC02740.46

to my dear wife

His cough is getting better. He talks of wanting to go home and the nice times they will have.

GLC02740.47

to my dear wife

They are going to be sent to Maine as sharpshooters since they cannot be put anywhere else in the United States. He sees a lot of Rebels coming in lately and describes them as good-looking, smart men.

GLC02740.48

to my dear wife

There is a heavy battle going on nearby. They, on the other hand, are still having good times. They do not have their rifles yet. He reminds Lizzie that she is always in his prayers.

GLC02740.49

to Unknown

The author encloses a picture the boys gave to him. The picture is unidentified but is most likely Wilmot Thompson. He is shown with the picture of a car in the background.

GLC02740.50