13th New Hampshire Infantry - Killed at Proctor's Creek, VA - NEW

Item LTR-10860

Description

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


Camp near Yorktown, Virginia
 
April 25^th 1864
 
Dear Parent,
 
Your letter came into my hand in season and now I will improve the time by answer it, which I have got to myself.  For I came off from guard this morning.  You see that we are here to Yorktown now and we shant go back to Portsmouth again.  We started from Portsmouth last Tuesday and went to Newport News and marched from there to here, which took us two days.  For we did not hurry any.  General Grant says that to march 14 miles a day is enough for the troops to march.  And he isn’t going to have any forced marches not any double quacking this summer.  His intentions is to be slow and sure.  We don’t intend to retreat this time.  We are to have about 75 thousand men on the Peninsula and then we shall start for Richmond.  The troops are a coming in here every day.  The 19^th and 2^nd is up above here to Williamsburg and the 7^th, and 4^th are here.  The 3^rd is coming soon and also the fifth.  So you see we shall have quite a lot New York troops with us.  I expect to see some pretty rough times this summer.  But don’t worry me in the least.  I want to have a hand in taking Richmond.  The boys never was in so good fighting trim as they are now.  No hardly any sick one and they are all in the best spirits.  We have been brigaded and we are in the first Division of the 18^th Army Corps.  The 118^th New York (lieutenant colonel) and 10^th New Hampshire is in our Brigade and General Burnham, which was formerly the colonel of the 9^th Maine is in our Brigade.  I like the looks of him.   He looks like a fighter which he has the name of being.  Major General Smith has come to the forces here.  His name is William Smith.  It rained last night but it is fair weather now.  The air feels good.  
 
I have not had letters from Helen since I came back.  And I can’t account for it.  For I wrote to her just as soon as I got back.  I am one of those kinds that don’t write twice.  So you see if she don’t answer that letter, she won’t receive another one from me.  That is just the way I stand.  I never will write to anyone twice before I get an answer.  If one letter is not worth answering, two aren’t for sure.  I can write to a plenty that is glad to answer my letter.  
 
I should think you have had a large snow storm.  It must be rather bad during this time. 
 
I am surprised about Edwin Leighton.  Poor fellow.  It must be hard for him to die bagging.  Give my love to him and Lewis and tell them I am well and in good spirits and I expect to be where the bullet flies, which don’t worry me in the least.  I think you done well this spring in the sapping business.  You tell Aunt Campbell that I do think a great deal of her.  Much more than I show, our side but it is in side.  I am one on those odd ones and therefore, don’t show exactly what I am.  What I mean, I am not one of those kinds that says more than what I mean.  Some folks will try to make folks think they are friends to them when the really aren’t and I say curse such one.   I abhor them above ground.  I even hate the ground they trample upon.  You may think me funning in writing as I do, but I always write just as I feel.  There is one thing you have go wrong and that is you said that Mary Ballard got a letter from me.  And I will have you to understand that I don’t write to her.  It is the old women not the young Miss that I wrote to, Mrs. Ballard, not Miss Ballard.  I haven’t had no answer for it though and hope I shant.  I should not have written to here, if I had not promised to.  I talked to here in the letter that I wrote to about her always feeling poorly and about the heavy taxes.  Perhaps it didn’t set well on her crawl, which I don’t care in the least.  I give her some pretty good hints.  Not that I have anything against them though.  But somehow or other I don’t like the breed. 
 
I got a letter from Uncle and Aunt Miswall a few days ago.  He wrote me all of the news.  Hewitt Vining is in Norfolk Jail now.  He has had his trial and I guess he won’t have nothing but his back pay taken away from him.  I wouldn’t wonder if he was released soon and come back to the regiment.  The last I heard from him, he was well and in fine spirits.  I have written this letter rather careless but I guess you can find it out for I know that you are pretty good in reading writing.  It doesn’t puzzle me any to find out most messy wording.  For I write to so many that I can ready any kind of writing.  I have a good chance to learn and read a good deal of the boys’ letters.  This war is a good school to me anyway.  Our boys has just came off from drill and guess I will leave off.  
 
Give my love to all that inquires after me and also take some to yourselves.
 
I am your unworthy son,
 
N. Frank Meserve
 
To my beloved Parents