15th New Hampshire Infantry

Item LTR-10550

Description

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


Carrollton, Louisiana

April 11th 1862

Dear Friend,

I take this early opportunity to answer your fine letter, which I received today. I was very glad to hear from you and to hear that you were well. I am well and getting along first rate. I was on guard yesterday, came off today. It has been pretty warm here today. Edgar and I have been out since the six o’clock roll call visiting one of the public gardens of this city. It is a splendid one. There is all kinds of flower of every color, size and shape that one can think of. Then the trees and walks and arbors and seats. And I wish you could just be here for a few days and visit that and some others with us. But then it is no use to think that it can be so. But never mind. There is better days a coming and they are not far distant.

I hope the Colonel stays and we shall start by the 20th of May for home. I wish it was tomorrow. It is now eight o’clock. We have just been on a line for roll call. They call the roll four time a day and after this march, we are going to drill twice a day.

Well, I guess I will finish this tomorrow, for the boys have all come in and want to go to bed. So good night to you and pleasant dreams to you.

April 12th. Good morning. How is your best health this pleasant Sabbath morning? We have just got through with knapsack inspection. It is very warm here and by noon it will be might hot. Edgar is most sick this morning. He got cold the night before last and yesterday, he went up to the parapet to visit the rest of our regiment. He got pretty tired. I made him some milk porridge this morning. He has just got up and washed himself and combed his head and ate his porridge and he felt better.

I was very sorry to hear that Gust was dead. We heard of his death before we got your letter. It will be pretty hard for Betty in her state of health.

I have no particular war news to write or any other news. We don’t hear any war news, only once a month. When I was at home, I did hear of a battle once in a while. But now that I am out here, I don’t hear but little about what other expeditions are about. We should just like to have some of the maple sugar that your folks and the wilder Bowen is making this spring. You must save us a small cake. I wrote a letter to your father some time ago and have not received any answer yet. I am glad to hear that Benihana is so good a boy.

I don’t think it worthwhile to send those negroes that we spoke of, for I think they would hinder him more than they would help him. He would have to hire a man to wait on their lazy black cusses. Once in a while, I see a pretty smart n****r. but take them together, they are the laziest of all God’s cattle. Last Sunday, we went to a Catholic meeting. But we could not understand much that the old priest said. But as it was, it was a good show for us.

Well, I guess I won’t trouble you with any more to read this time. So, I will close. Write soon as you get this. Give my love to your father and mother and sister and accept a good share yourself. Write soon.

From your friend,

Albert A. Bowen
Company B
15th Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteers
Banks Expedition
New Orleans, Louisiana

In care of Captain J. W. Ela.

Write soon.