2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery - Wounded at Cedar Creek

Item LTR-5944

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages written in period ink.

Tuesday, December 30th 1862

Camp Ellsworth
Near Alexandria, VA

My friend Flora,

I receive a letter from old Warren last night written in the old school house the night after Christmas. I think there was more than one hand writing besides several dictators. I had not forgotten the good long letter you wrote me some time ago. I have not been very well and so I neglected writing until now. I trust you will think this a sleepy letter. At least I think so. I am sitting up tonight as usual trying to write. I have been two hours writing this. I am so sleepy that I can hardly keep my eyes open, yet I have to sit up most all night. I do not enjoy myself very much this winter. I like to be a soldier but my health is so poor that I am afraid I shall not make a very good one. I have been having the blues for two or three days. Our regiment is going to move this week and I am afraid I cannot go with them. Certainly I cannot if they go far. I don’t know where they are going. But I hope not far because when we get separated, we do not know when we shall meet again. We have had some excitement here for a day or two. A squad of White’s rebel cavalry has been trying to make a dash on Alexandria. Our boys are lying around the tent with their muskets by their side. Sunday night our regiment was ordered to lay on their arms and be ready to fall in at a moment’s warning for the rebs were but a few miles back. All the valuables in Alexandria were moved to Washington. All was excitement and confusion. About half past twelve o’clock our boys were ordered to fall in. In less than three minutes our regiment was in line of battle. Company H was the first in line. C was marched out two or three miles west and drawn up in line of battle. They stood there until morning but the enemy did not come.

Wednesday evening, December 31st 1862

Today is the last of this year. It has been a damp cold day. I remember well how we spent the first day on the lake skating. I hope you will have a good time this year. I don’t think I shall skate much this year. Our regiment has just been ordered to lay on their arms and be ready to fall in at two minutes’ notice. I guess you will think this is a funny letter for it is written a little at a time just when I feel like writing.

It is five o’clock New Year’s morning. I am sitting on boxes by our little stove trying to finish this letter. I hope you will excuse this considering where it comes from. I am sorry it looks so. If I felt like it I would burn this up and write another but this must answer for this time. Hoping that I may be better able in the future to write a better one. Those nice needle books you spoke of. As safe as we can take the best care of them we can. They look almost as well as when we started. I wish you could see. Well someday when we are sewing. We have got so we can sew quite well. I think if we keep practicing for three years we shall be quite expert at the business!

I had a visit from Father and Mrs. Curtins. I enjoyed their visit very much. If I could only have been well and gone with them some while they were here. It would have been much pleasanter. But I tried to be contented and stay in my tent most of the time. I must close for this time so goodbye. I wish you a happy new year.

From your old friend,

Miner A. Strong