27th Maine Infantry & 2nd Maine Cavalry - Andersonville Prisoner

Item LTR-329

Description

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

Camp Seward, VA
November 13th 1862

Dear Father,

I received your letter this afternoon and take the first opportunity to answer it. My dear Father, you do not know how much pleasure it gives me to peruse letters which are welcomed and anxiously looked for. My last letter was not dated yet I can state that you received it in due season for I wrote it in the 4th. You must have received it on Saturday the 8th. I was pleased to receive a letter in so good season and also to hear that you were well and thought of me frequently. But I can say that you do not think of me more often than I do you at home. Since I wrote last, we have had to drill or throw up breastworks. I worked on the breastworks all last week until Friday. On Saturday we commenced drilling and have continued until today. We commonly go on Brigade drill in the forenoon and in the afternoon we go on Company drill. You may imagine that we have had to work hard since we came here. Yes I can assure you we have not done enough for our own interest and benefit until lately. The first week we came here we went out on Brigade drill and our Regiment was far superior in anything to any of the other for they were all green. I have reference to the men not our officers, so we were not drilled very hard and have gone behind all the rest of our Brigade. So you see we have got to go to drilling instead of throwing up breastworks (for Colonel Tapley made us work on them all the time for the last fortnight. Yet I do not suppose he could have his own say about whether we should drill or work on breastworks). As long as we have our six hours drill, we shall be in good health. For it gives us a good exercise and a good appetite. We drill about an hour and rest fifteen minutes until our three hours. When we came in tonight about four o’clock it seemed to me I could not wait until six to save my life. Yet I knew it would be for my benefit not to eat between meals unless we were on the march. We went on dress parade about five and one half o’clock. Came off at about six then we fell in for our rations consisting of rice, hard bread with sweet onion and tea. And you better believe we did justice to it. Our rations are as good as can be expected in the morning. We generally have coffee, beans, soft bread or sometimes only white bread and corned beef with coffee. At noon we have beefsteak, potatoes with gravy and hard bread or white bread (sometime we have a dipper of soup and our quantity of bread). At supper we generally have a variety. Colonel Tapley is not very popular here in the Regiment. Yet I cannot say anything against him. It is true he is not acquainted with the military tactics and has some enemies here. Yet I shall not say anything against him. Only it does not seem to me that he studies enough and does not show enough life and animation. Yet you know he is considered about as good a lawyer as we had in our section. He has a good voice but I do not think he has any military in him.

Yet as I said before I have no fault to find with any of our officers, neither with our force. I am weighing about 156 pounds at present and am on the increase. At the end of this week I expect to tip 160 pounds.
I am weighing about 156 pounds at present and am on the increase. At the end of this week I expect to tip 160 pounds. So you see I am about as heavy as you are. You can find my photographs at 96 Middlesex, Welden Bros. (No. 96 Middle Street, Weldon Bros.) if you will get them and order another. I will pay you for them. You can send down to Uncle Freeman and he will get them and send them to you. And I can tell you who to give them to or you can send them to me. I cannot write much more and it is with difficulty that I can write at all. For our boys are telling stories and making an awful noise. Yet I am bound to write. We have forty who were detailed or did not have to go out as a reserve or as picket. But we were expected to for two or three days. Instead of either, we had to go up to the fort to dig dirt. But we shall not have to dig much more dirt for we have got to drill in order to keep up with the rest of our Brigade. Tell all the folks to write. Don’t forget it for we have nothing that pleases us so much as does a letter from home. Also give my love to all my friends. I should like to stop in and see you tonight. Yet I cannot but hope I shall be spared so that I can in about for eight months from this time. I am contented and find it the best way in order to enjoy life. Tell Mother to keep up good courage and if I come home safe I will never leave her again. Kiss all the children for me and tell them not to forget their absent Brother. Write soon and your letters shall be promptly answered by your affectionate son,

E. E. Clark

I do not like to ask you, but I wish you would send 8 or 10 postage stamps for I cannot get them here.

How did Mother like my picture?