7th Michigan Cavalry - NEW

Item LTR-10812

Description

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

 

Washington
March 5, [1863]
 
William Castle,
 
It is with much pleasure that I take pen in hand to let you know that I am well.  I should like to see you and all of the rest of the folks that I used to be with around there.  Although I am now far from you all, I haven’t forgotten about you all that I used to see when I was there.  Do you remember the meeting they had at the log school house the night before I started for the rapids?  Ask Emily if she has forgotten that, [if] she has, tell her to put on her thinking cap.  The rest of the folks that I used to know when I was there, tell them that I would like to see them and be there to go to the ---- with them and you.
 
I have seen the large mountains that are in Pennsylvania.  I have seen where they dug through rocks from one to two hundred feet.  I have rode from a quarter of a mile to a mile and a quarter underground.  I have seen some pretty nice cities since I left there and some that weren’t so nice.  Pittsburg was the worst looking place that I saw since I left there and Baltimore was the nicest place I did see. 
 
I should like to live in Baltimore.  I was in the fort in Baltimore when I was there.  I tell you that the large guns looked pretty saucy to point at a man.  Our men had to keep the town guarded for fear of the Rebels breaking onto them.  We stopped in Baltimore one day so I had a good chance to see the city.  Miles Riley and myself went downtown while I was here and the lieutenant of our company and we had a pretty nice view of the city.
 
We are on Meridian Hill.  We have a pretty good sight for to look out on the Potomac River and see what’s on there.  The Sixth is within the half a mile of us.  I am down to the Sixth now.  I do like this part of the country very well.
 
As I find my sheet pretty near full, I will bring my letter to a close.  You must excuse my bad writing for haven’t no place to write but to take my pen and paper on my lap and write.
 
So goodbye to you,
 
Charles H. Jessup