7th Massachusetts Infantry

Item LTR-10360

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 3 pages, written in period ink.


Camp Brightwood
Washington, DC

September 26, 1861

Dear Brother,

I received your kind letter yesterday and two papers also, for which I am everlasting obliged to you. We are about to make a grand move somewhere. I don’t know where. We have in and around Washington now about 300,000 troops and on the street where I am, there is about 28 thousand troops. I am on what they call 7th Street. Out here a street runs about 5 miles. This street runs direct to the Capitol and I am five miles from the Capitol. There is about 8,000 cavalry on the street now, including Harlen’s Brigade. The 49th New York Regiment came in yesterday.

It is Fast day out here today. I have just got a letter from Fanny today. I skip around some, don’t I, in writing a letter.

I am well and tough as a boiled owl. William H. Gurney says the School House is the same color now.

Our Colonel is very strict with us. A private was tied up to a tree by his thumbs because he did not walk fast enough when he was drilling. And another was tied up by the wrists because he struck a corporal in the company. What do you think of that?

Mary N. Whitman has been to home but has gone back now. Mary has been very sick but is getting better now. That is all the news now.

From your brother,

Ames Ramsdell

Commonly called Slabs.