16th New York Light Artillery

Item LTR-349

Description

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

Camp Barry, April 2nd 1863

I received your letter last Saturday and was glad to hear from you once more and hear you was well. I am well today. Sunday I was on guard and was relieved Monday morning. I was on third relief and when I got my [post] I had the sick headache and so I could not eat anything all day. But when I got rested I was all right again. Today the wind blows from the south. Drill call sounded and I had to stop so I will finish tonight

The frog has commenced their tune in earnest. It has been very cold here this winter considering the latitude. That picture I sent was taken from the rebels at Malvern Hill and photographed by Brady after it was brought to Washington. You look on the back side and you will find where it was captured. It was given to me in Washington. Ira can have that and Willie the general. Tell them to be good children and learn all they can.

Am well at present and tomorrow I am on guard again. The mud is drying up fast and the roads are getting quite dry. I had to stop when I was writing to go on guard and yesterday the wind blowed so hard it was impossible to write or anything else. It commenced snowing at dark and snows yet. The storms in this country are very hard and not as frequent and last longer.

There was a large Union meeting at the capitol last Tuesday night. I could get there. I cannot get away from camp but little. The 9th Michigan Battery left this camp the twenty-fifth of last month for Fairfax Court House. The Fifth and Seventh Michigan Mounted Rifles went with them.

The First NY Battery was paid last Friday and the report is the paymaster is going to pay all New York batteries on this camp so if he does we shall get it before long. There is five months pay due the first of April when we get pay we shall get four months.

Lieutenant Northup started for home last Monday to be gone seven days. Hiram Lewis has been tried for desertion and sentenced to forfeit all pay and work at hard labor on Fort Delaware the remainder of his enlistment and be dishonorably discharged from the service. His family will have to do without his help for nineteen months.

I don’t know any more at present. Tell Willie and Ira to be good children and learn all they can. Learn to write so they can write. When I get paid I shall send a book home for you to keep. It is the description of Washington. Give my love to all enquiring friends. When you write well all the news. It snows hard yet.

Good bye for the present,

E.H. MARTIN