2nd Vermont Infantry

Item LTR-343

Description

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

Camp Griffin, VA

March 1st 1862

Dear Mother,

I received your letter last night. I was glad to hear that you were well but I am sorry to hear that Martha is unwell. My health is pretty good, only I have got a cold. You wrote that it was cold and very windy there. I hope it is not any windier there than it is here. Last Monday the wind blew so hard that it blew down almost all of our tents and it blew down all the tents in the 3rd Regiment. The tent that I stay in did not blow down but would have if we had not buttoned it up. The wind has blown ever since yesterday morning. And it froze the hardest last night than it has any time this year and it is a pretty cold day today. As for news, I don’t get much. Only that our men are sending the rebel prisoners home. I believe our Generals are afraid that we shall whip the south. So they give up all the prisoners we take. And all they have to do is to go back and get some more arms and fight us again. So I have about made up my mind to stay three years and if they don’t whip the south in that time, they never will. And we might have whipped them before now if we hadn’t a lot of traitors at the head of our Army. Tell Martha that I lost her letter before I had read more than half of it. It was late before I got it. And I had read about ½ of Martha’s letter when the drum beat for the lights to be put out. And I put it in my pocket, as I thought. But this morning I couldn’t find it. I am in hopes that I shall find it again sometime but I don’t know as I shall. I will write to Martha and Henry in a few days if nothing happens. Henry wrote that he thought I had better have Mr. Walker to draw my state pay and send it to you or him. But I think he will know best when it will do to let it go. And I don’t think the notes would be so likely to get lost if Mr. Walker has them as they would with you or Henry. Because he has a place where he keeps his papers and he is not moving around. So he wouldn’t be apt to lose them. And I believe him to be as honest a man as there is in Vermont. So I ain’t any afraid of losing what I trust with him. I must close. Give my love to all who may inquire after me. Goodbye Mother.

This, from your son,

Warren [Leslie]