5th Maine Infantry

Item LTR-374

Description

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

Camp Franklin

November 16th 1861

My Dear Wife,

As it is very cold and I have to stay in the tent, I thought I would write you a few lines and send tomorrow. As I shall not have any time to write as I am the field officer of the day tomorrow. (Officers of the day in our camp today). It is the coldest day I have ever seen in Virginia. The wind blows as hard as I ever knew in Maine but it is not so freezing. It has not frozen the water any as yet. But I have found a little ice in my wash bowl two or three mornings as it is set on a box at the door of my tent. I expect you are having some cold weather in Maine about this time. I presume you are worrying some about me this cold night. But I am now writing before a good fire and are as comfortable as I could be in any house in Maine. John and your humble servant bought a small stove a few days ago and it works first rate. We cooked a bit of mince pies today and they are first rate for they are as good as we can buy here in camp or town. They do not know how to make a pie in this part. All the pies we have had since we came here fit to eat was the one you sent us. But now we are bound to have some of our own cooking. I received your Nov 10th last night. It was some time a coming. You write you have not received any letter from me or the one that was owed. I write two a week and have not missed but one week since I left Maine. You write that everything moves along as usual. It is about the same here. We had a great review here the other day. I think there were more than twenty thousand troops here. It was the most splendid sight I ever saw. One regiment took the prize of all the rest. Even though it was small, Generals McClellan and Franklin said it was the best looking regiment and done the best of any in the Division. So you see we are not a great deal behind any regiment from Maine. My company all had white gloves and had their clothes and shoes brushed up. I never saw them look as well as they did that day. I also can say that my company is the best there is in the regiment. I am proud of it. They have behaved the best of any. I have but few sick. The smallest numbers, we have had at any one time since I came to Washington. None very sick. All getting along well. You wrote that Chas was not coming at present. I presume he is not. Nor do I believe he will ever come here again as I think he has been notified that he is not wanted in the Maine 5th anymore. For the Colonel stated as much. He cannot play that game any longer. I think you wrote you had not heard from Dolly. I wrote Bryce a few days ago to keep her till I write him what to do with her. As I did not then know. But if should go home, and if I did, I should want her. But I cannot tell whether I shall go yet or not. If we had another Lieutenant appointed I should go on Monday and perhaps I shall as it is. I shall if I can get away. General Slocum told me the other day I could come as soon as we went into winter quarters. But I think I shall get away. So it would be then on Thursday next. But cannot tell yet. You need not look too much for me. As I shall go as soon as I can leave here. You write that you think my work would be hard on Picket. It is not very hard and we all get enough to eat and have a good time generally. If I stay here I shall go on picket all of next week but I mean to be at home if possible. You asked if I had received a box from Bethel. I would say that we never have yet anything of the kind nor do we ever expect too. I wrote you in one of my letters not a long time ago my opinion of Bethel’s generosity. However, you say that Co I is not forgotten. There was a time when a little help from Maine would have done us a good deal of good. But now we are pretty well off as for clothing and fare. You write that many warm friends would greet me when I returned. I presume they will as long as my money holds out. You ask if we hear from Marshall. I would say that I have not yet any news from them since I wrote you some time ago. You ask how John is getting along. He is getting along well. Gained 40 lbs since he came back. He is as fat as a hog. As for the Captain he looks out for No. 1. I have enough to eat and drink and lack for nothing. But shall be looking before long if I do not go home. I shall not stand it much longer. I shall be out two or three weeks and recruit for my company. But I expect it will be impossible to get any recruits as there has been so many troops left Maine of late. But shall try to get a few. You tell Mel Freis I shall want him and all the Stidey boys I can get. I shall try to get some at Otisfield and the towns in that vicinity. I will be ready to come. Tell Al and Berg I shall want them to come back with me. I shall have to see some of them anyhow. So you can tell them to be ready to come back. I have written about all I can think of at present. It is now nine o’clock and I have got to go through the camp and see to the guard. I have to be up late tonight and shall also be up late tomorrow night. Jimmy has just made up the bed on the floor and John has gone to bed and the camp is as hot as bedlam but it will be cold as soon as the fire is out. Benj Freeman I hear is at Washington but has not gotten over here yet. I hear he has gotten a place in Maine but do not know that it is true yet. But hope it is. As he has been after it for some time. I received a letter from Alvin last night and shall answer it the first of the week if I do not go home. But if I do I can give him some idea of camp life. I must now close. Give my love to all the folks. Tell the good folks I shall be at Bethel soon. Write often and long. Tell Kat and the children to write. Love to all.

Yours truly,

C. S. Edwards