5th & 3rd Michigan Infantry - Wounded & Captured at White Oak Swamp

Item LTR-10582

Description

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


Camp Michigan, Virginia

December 22nd 1861

Dear Mother,

I sit down to write you a few lines today seeing it is Sunday and we have but little to do, except inspection and to go to church. We are all in pretty good health at present. I don’t know as I have any news to write for there is nothing new going on just now. Although, there seems to be some in prospect in a few days. Our army are moving gradually towards the evening every day, I see by the Baltimore Clipper that our Brigade moved night before last out as far as Pohick Church about seven miles from here. Further out on the Richmond Road. But I guess it wasn’t so, as we would have heard more about it. But nothing in the papers can be relied upon here. The statement in the same paper this morning read that our Division was expected to leave for Texas in a few days (December 23rd). I commenced to write this yesterday but had not time to finish as we had to go and steal a roof for our shanty. Five boys, with myself, went out about two miles and confiscated the house roof of a secesh. I received a letter from you and Cheatham and Grant last night and was glad to hear from you all. We received the box more than a week ago. I should have known it among a thousand those quilts and very good to the boys in the hospital. And the dried fruit was very excellent for the sick. Everything came all straight and we were very thankful to you for the trouble and expense you have been to in sending the things so far.

You wished to know whether my clothes had come to mending yet. They have some time yet and I think I have become about as skillful with the needle as June and the whole family of women. That I know of so.

I will stop writing and go to serving. For I have a right smart lot of it to do this afternoon (as the Virginians would say). And if I can’t do it better than I can write, it will take all night to finish. I would write oftener but it is most impossible to get stamps here. And I hate to send a letter without paying the postage.

I received a letter from Russell Fleming last week. He is still at Maphosa. I will send it home if you would like to read it. No more at present. My love to all and write often to your dutiful son and obedient soldier,

I.N. Lerich

To his Ma.

P.S. Tell George I will answer hi letters as quick as I can. Tell him and all the rest of the young folks that I would like to hear from them all. I would like to be with them New Year’s, but it is impossible.

In haste,
Ike