20th New York Cavalry

Item LTR-369

Description

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

Fort Powhatan
February 6th 1865

Dear wife and family,

We have just got into our new shanty tonight at our new home. We have been here five days and we have got a good house built with a good brick fire place and it is comfortable. The company has got their shanties all done but two or three. This is the nicest country to put up quarters in you ever saw. You can get pine logs from four to six inches through and stout as a reed. But tools and nails are rather scarce. But necessity is the mother of invention and you can see it fully developed here. I had to help the Captain one day on his to put on the roof. He never found out until day before yesterday that I was all done with mine so he got me to help him finish his. Fort Powhatan is about twenty miles below City Point on the James River and it is a beautiful place. What is the best of all, we have not much to do only go out and scout a little. We have no picket duty to do and our horses have a plenty to eat here and the men get better rations too. And we have a bakery here. And if we do not get bread enough we can buy it for 71/2 cents a loaf and a loaf is a day’s ration. We had to pay 25 cents a loaf up at the front and bread is the only thing that we do not get enough of. And a dollar’s worth of bread with what we get will last some time. I have no duty to do here only to see to the horses and drill a little when I am not too busy and the company will not do any duty until they get the quarters built and the stables. That will take some time and then grade the streets. But there is one feature in the program that I do not like. We have got to stay here on about one hundred acres unless we go out on duty. But if they will let us stay here until my term of service expires, I will agree not to leave once in the time. But I do not anticipate such good luck as that. By the time we get the camp well fitted up, we should have to skedaddle somewhere else. But maybe we shall have peace this winter. Vice President Stephens was at City Point the day I was there and went to Washington the next day to try and settle the matter. I hope they will succeed but if you had been there night before last you would [know] there was little prospect of peace. For there was a perfect thunder all night up to the front. But I do not know on what part of the line. It was but I should guess by the direction that it was, near Petersburg. I do not think of any more to write tonight. But will write often now for I should have the time to do it. I wish you would send me a few postage stamps. As I am out and I can not get any here. I do not think we shall get any pay until the next pay day. That will be next month. I would just as leave it would be so now and then. I shall get the 33 old United States bounty. I have not got the gloves yet and I have not got any more to wear at all. So good night and much love to you all.
Direct
Joseph Hazen
Company F, 20th NY Cavalry
Fort Powhatan, VA