46th Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-308

Description

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

Camp of the 46th Pennsylvania
Washington, DC

June 7, 1865

Dear Brother,

I wrote to you some ten days ago and not receiving an answer, I write again as it seems we are not to go out of service as soon as we expected. The 62nd men whose term of service expires before the 1st of October and the one-year men are to be discharged first. I think it is not a fair shake to keep the veterans until the rest are gone. But it seems that the first shall be last and the last first in this case. As in a great many others, vets are not in a good humor about it. The Brigade, Division and Corps to which we are attached is about to be broken up. The western groups are leaving for Louisville Kentucky and others are going home. There is but four veteran regiments in this Division. We expect to be stuck into the defenses around Washington but I would rather go down to Tennessee or Georgia than stay here. Jim Lefridge has gone home on leave of absence so I expect you will see him. I would like to have you come down to visit us and see the sites around Washington. We will soon know what will be done with us, whether we are to go into garrison or not. They like to leave that for the fancy Regiments that have done it while fighting has gone on. I see that the Division, which the 47th is in, has been ordered south along the coast. I don’t envy them their job. If we are to stay here until after the fourth of July, I will get a furlough if possible. We expected to get paid last week but now I suppose we are to wait until the rest get served. I wish you would send me some papers, pictorials and others for though we are so near Washington, we are almost as back off as we were at Savannah. I told Lane about it. But he has forgotten as usual. My love to Mother, Sister, and Brothers, not forgetting those in the P.M. Department, and some to yourself.

From your affectionate Brother,

Daniel Davis
Company C, 46th P.V. V.
20th Army Corps
Washington, DC