29th New Jersey Infantry

Item LTR-243

Description

4 page original Civil War soldier's letter, written in period ink and war dated.

Aquia Creek, VA
Saturday, December 27th 1862

Dear Wife,

I take pleasure to inform you that I am well at present and hoping by the blessing of God these lines may find you and the children the same great blessing. I feel quite anxious to hear from you for I have not heard from you since the 30th of November. I received the letter on the 7th and it is two weeks yesterday since I wrote for you to write to me again. I wrote another letter the 19th. I wrote a letter to Father the first of this week. Last Thursday was Christmas. It was a fine warm day here. It was a green Christmas with us. It seemed more like Sunday to me than any Sunday has done in some time. I hope it was a Merry Christmas with you. For I don’t want you to be down hearted and sad because I am not with you. Keep your courage up and hope for the best and don’t forget to pray. I pray that God may spare and protect me and grant me a safe return home to you. I hope you have gotten enough to make yourselves comfortable with for I do not get any money to send to you. I hope to be with you to spend the next holidays. Keep a good heart. You must wish my friends a happy new year for me. I am as happy as I can be under the present circumstances but should be more so if I was with you. But I look forward to the time.

We are still guarding the railroad yet our duty is light. I have to be on duty two hours out of twenty four. That is all we have to do but I can’t tell how long this will last. I would be satisfied to stay here all winter. Tell Father that Uncle John Osborn’s son Elijah got his foot shot off in the Battle of Fredericksburg. Abner Gant was not in the fight. He was sick at the time but he is well now. Uncle Isaac Osborn’s son Allen is well. I heard from them yesterday. They are in the 28th. I don’t think my mittens and socks will be of much use to me that you sent me. I wish now you had not sent them but let them go. I drew two pair of socks last week. I am quite comfortable as respects to clothing at present. Don’t worry about me. Don’t forget to write to me and let me know how you are getting along. Aaron Preed is washing for me today. I found a canteen the other day and sold it for fifty cents. I found a pocket comb and sold it for ten cents. The boys have to work all kinds of projects to get their tobacco. I must stop and get my dinner. Every fellow cooks for himself. I will wait until the mail comes in to finish my letter. Maybe I’ll get a letter.

I have had my dinner and the mail has come and fetched me a letter from you and it affords me much pleasure to hear that you are all well. I have not been in the hospital and I hope I will be able to keep out of it by the blessing of God to whom we are indebted for all things. The regiment that Abner Gant is in was in the battle but it is not so bad as you have heard. I saw two men out of the same company yesterday. They said there was a few killed and several wounded. I got the post stamps and the 25 cent bill. I have four stamps yet I don’t expect to get the box at all but don’t worry about that. I will get along if I only have my health and I trust to God for that. I will not send to you for any money for I don’t think you have got any to spare. I would like to have some to send to you but I have not. I shall have to bring my letter to a close. Give my best respects to all inquiring friends, to my folks and your folks in particular. Write again soon. I hope you have got another letter by this time. I shall have to close by wishing you all a Happy New Year.

From your affectionate husband,

Cornelius Pearce

Old cinder claus don’t come down here so we don’t hang our stockings up. Give my love to the children. Tell Albert he will be papa’s little man when he comes home.