51st New York Infantry & 2nd New York Heavy Artillery - Died at Andersonville

Item LTR-270

Description

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

November 15th 1861
Annapolis City, MD
Camp Burnside

Dear Brother,

Here is one of our brave Generals. I received your letter today the 15th and was glad to hear from you. I am well and I hope that this news will find you enjoying the same. I have written to Hat the 10th and I wrote a bully letter to one that will stir up her ideas. I wrote one to Anson the same time that I wrote to you and I expect one from him every minute now. John you must write and let me know how the weather is up there and let me know whether you have to pay the postage on my letters or not. If you do, let me know and I will change the operation. I have gotten enough to pay my postage. Yet now I will try to let you know how the times are here now. We have gotten possession of the Richmond Railroad and two forts at Beaufort and the rebels are retreating as fast as possible. When our folks took possession of Beaufort, they killed 400 and took 1,000 prisoners and now the rebels refuse to fight. I will try to finish my letter the boys have a fine time now. They have got some of their pay and the colonel is gone and they say that when the old ones is gone, the young ones will play. But it is darn rough play. Some of the boys lays this way and that way and as I was writing I happened to look out of the old tent and what should I see. But the old guard house flat as a cow tired now. I have just eaten my grub and I feel much better. If you don’t get a long one, I hope to write Jim. He lays here flat on his back smoking his old black pipe. Just as contented as a pig in clover. Bill Cole sits here flat on his ass fixing a piece of candle to light for me to write by and Frank is out among the rest of the Captains. And I expect in a few days he will take the Colonels place. Jim and Bill Cole say that they should like to hear you draw the briar on the old gooses back this night. Now Frank has just gotten in and he stumps Jim and Bill to play bluff for a chew of tobacco. And Jim Long (the one that comes up for us), he feels very bad. He is quite sick and he looks as sober as a bunch of tar but then he says that he should like to be up there to hear you play old Fishers’ Hornpipe. The boys send their love to you. Now John, I think you will see me up there by the time pass gets around. So look out for the eggs, feed the hens on time. To make the shells up because the Colonel says that he thinks that the war will not last much more than three months longer. He says that he thinks that we shall not see any fighting but then I want to have one brush with the yeller headed devils. We are bound to make them cut bait for a living now. John, tell Lib H. Fonda that I send her my love and give my love to Burns folks. Now Cate, I should like to smack you myself. Tell Martha that I should like to squeeze her. Give my love to the boys on the hill and take a share of it yourself. So goodbye.

From your Brother Bill
To John W. Hutchinson