81st New York Infantry

Item LTR-331

Description

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

Camp 81st, Virginia

December 21st 1864

Dear Father,

I now take the opportunity to write a few lines to you and give you all of the particulars I can. Well to commence with, we have had some very good news from Savannah and it is confirmed that General Sherman is in command of Savannah. Also, General Thomas has been a giving Rebel General Hood a serious whipping. Well, Father, I received a letter from Abie last night stating that she was at home baking some pies for me. I have been looking every night. Very often the mail doesn’t come until after I have gotten to bed and I won’t hear them sing out for mail and I would tumble out of bed to see if there wasn’t something for me and last night I was the only lucky man in the company. Well Father, I am looking every night for a letter from you. Well Father, I will tell you what the camp story is. They say that the Colonel is going to get the 81st Regiment home on a recruiting furlough of 60 days. General Butler is going to give the Colonel these 60 days to recruit the 81st Regiment up to 850 strong. I should like the 60 days furlough but I don’t care about having the Regiment fill up with new recruits to have to drill all of the winter and spring. Well Father, Marshall Parker is back and joined the Sharpshooters again and I learned some news from him. I understand that you have joined the Union League. I suppose it is a very good thing. I should like to make you a call some of these beautiful nights, say some time when Mr. J. Smith is going to have a party at his home. I think I could enjoy myself to spend a few days at home. It isn’t money that makes the man go down here in Virginia. It is nothing, only faith and that is what has kept one half of our army up this last summer. I think the Johnnie Reb doesn’t live on anything else but faith or they wouldn’t hold out as long as what they have. Well I will close this by sending my compliments to all of the folks. I suppose that Mother has received my letter before this time. Tell Alice that George Davis of New Haven has gotten the watchcase and hope he has not lost it. I think a good deal of it. So I bid you all a hearty good evening.

Your most respectfully,

Backus Ensworth from H. B. Ensworth