27th Massachusetts Infantry - Wounded Drewry's Bluff and Petersburg

Item LTR-317

Description

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

Camp Lee
New Bern, North Carolina
May 25th 1862


Dear Father, Mother, Sister, Aunt Eunice,

As it rains today there will be no Divine Service. Therefore it is very lonely and of course my thoughts concentrate at home and feeling like writing. I will spend my time in that way. It has been a long time since I have heard from any of you at home. I have not had a letter from Sara for over six weeks and it is about five since I heard from Emma. Now just imagine how I feel being so far from home and can’t hear no oftener than that. You cannot have the excuse that I do not write often. If ever I want to hear from home it is at the present time where we are now stationed. I will give a little sketch of our camp life. For six weeks past we left New Bern City the 2nd of this month Bag and Baggage bound for Batchelor’s Creek on picket duty. And here we now are camped on the New Bern and Goldsboro Rail Road 15 miles from the city. And as I said before doing picket duty. Although I do not have any to do it myself but have to detail men to do it. Which is about as bad. I have about two hours work to do every day. That is guard mounting and dress parade. The rest of the time I have to myself as we do no drilling. I detail from 16 to 18 men a day from our Camp for picket and guard. So it brings them on every other day and makes it rather hard for the men. Such is a soldier’s life. No matter and no gambling. We have no business to have been a soldier but here we are and doubtless will be until Uncle Sam sees fit to let us go home. But I will say nothing about going home for the present. When that time comes we will talk of it. My opinion is that we shall not be at home this summer but hope and pray that we will. We have a report this morning that there is some glorious news at the City that they will not publish. Perhaps peace is declared. Ha Ha. I guess not. Well after all we are enjoying ourselves pretty well now days and do not care about coming home just now. As it is about Hempen time and I am afraid Sherman would have to go to work but could if needed. The weather is very hot here now but we can stand it about as well as those that have always lived here. The Southerners have come to the conclusion that hot weather is not going to drive us out and now have a plan that the mosquitoes are going to. Ha ah. What an idea this is that a rebel Captain said. I told him that we would allow the mosquitoes had more courage and would stand their ground longer than a rebel would for this very reason that they are under union discipline now. All the boys have to do while on picket is to drill them. Amos Pomeroy was on picket the other night and laid down and went to sleep with his blanket wound around him. About a dozen of these unaccountable insects pitched on to him and shaked him through the woods lickity split. Amos rose up and heeled it for the camp leaving everything behind. Amos is alright now and will charge bayonets on them next time. This of course you will believe. Well I must stop awhile and take a little ham and bread. Red has first come in with a pan of baked beans and we must eat them. He is our cook. There is shared tents. Crew who are here are Henry, Milo, Jas Roberts, Charlie Roberts, and Elmer Robb as this set of boys. I forgot to let you know we have gotten some new Sibley tents. But they are very hot ones. It is a rainy day today. How is the weather in olde Greenville. How is Jim Cooley? I suppose he has commenced keeping house on his own (wish success to him). How is Chas Sleden getting along? I understand he had dissolved his partnership with his wife. Is it so? Poor fellow.

Milo has been to the 8th Connecticut Regiment to see the boys and stayed overnight. They are all well and in good spirits. John makes a good officer. He is looking fine. Henry Sanders is dead and Willie Smith is sick and is trying to get a discharge. They are under very strict discipline. Much more so than we are. They have a new Colonel that accounts for it. We expect to be paid off soon and I do not think I shall send home any money this time. As I have had to get me a watch and some other things and shall let Milo have some. Well folks, what are you doing nowadays? I should like to know about now. I cannot imagine anything about it. Father, I suppose you have got all through planting by this time. I shall feel like farming about a year when I get home. The farmers have new potatoes here now and peas and all kinds of garden stock. Hence, we will live pretty well now but have none of the above named. We have fresh beef every day and new bread soft. But I have seen the time that I could not say this. Well it is about election time and I would like to be at home a day or two but we shall have one here. We shall play ball and have a dance in the evening as usual. We have gotten a fiddle and Hen can play it and we practice at ball playing here every day and are going to have a match game election. Well Emma, how do you get along. I often think of you. You must take good care of yourself. And Mother, how do you do? I often think of you and I would like to see you. Are you as fat as you were when I left home (ha, ha). I guess so. How long, oh how long, will it be before I shall meet you all at home. Aunt Eunice, how do you do this summer? I am very glad you are at our house this summer for I think it must be lonesome. Well Father, how is your health this summer? I expect every time I hear from home to hear that you are sick but hope I shall not. Because I cannot get home as easy as I could when at the Nobles. You must not work too hard if you can help it. Get Mr. Rice to help you. I hope I shall be at home soon to help you. Red has expected to get home but has given it up for now. He is alright now as ever. I think he will come out all right soon. I think it is better for him and his family to stay here. As he will not get work at home and another thing, he would not get his bounty if he gets his discharge now. Captain wants him to do his cooking. Milo and myself are fitting out a box to send home. I shall send a candlestick and a pipe to Father and I want him to smoke it. I think it will suit him. The candlesticks I will give to Emma. It will want a little cleaning as it has been used rather rough. I want you to take good care of my things that I have sent home. The clothes in particular. Let no one wear them. Emma, I have not seen those pictures yet. I would like to have you send them. I shall send you mine soon. We have an artist here now and he charges very high price but he has plenty of costumes. My sheet is about filled and I will close for this time. Now I want each one of you to write to me immediately. If you do not, you will not hear from me again very soon. Another thing, I want you to send me $1.00 worth of stamps and also send me some penny stamps when you write next. Milo is writing to Peter Sibley. He is going to send our box to him. Write and tell Sarah to answer my last letter. How does she get along? I would like to call on her about tea time. Well, you must write all the news and all about things in general. Give my love to Mrs. Bryon’s family and tell Ellen I have received no answer to my last letter. Love to Lewey and tell her to write soon. As she owes me a letter.

I think Ed Bruns had better come back up and stop his men up there. Charlie was never left up and we have no cowards in our company. Now I have done and went from telling you many things that I have written, good and bad. Please accept these few lines with much love and the best wishes and ever your servant,
S. P. Cooley
New Bern, North Carolina
Craven County
15 miles from New Bern and five from Tuscarora.

My best respects to Buel Seymour, Selden and his wife and tell him to write. Also my best wishes to Mr. Roseand’s family and Mr. Crocker’s. Tell him I have not heard from him.

I suppose you know that George Green is at home on furlough. You must write about him if you can learn how he is. Gill Chencey has to write me as I should be very happy to hear from him. I would write to him if I had time and think I will take time. He could write all the news about election. Please tell him to write me after election and tell all about the game of ball and if you have a ball and send me one of the tickets. I must close or take another sheet as this is about filled. I am going to Beaufort when we get paid off. Milo sends his love to you and particularly to his wife. Tell Lucy to train the little ones up in the way they should go. Jas Roberts is quite down today with a lame back. He has caught cold I guess. My health is tip top but am not as fleshy as when on the boat. I weigh only 125 now but that is pretty good for me. Good afternoon. From Sherman. Write soon.