174th Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-405

Description

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

Dismal Swamp
December 3rd 1862

Dear Emily,

I write these few lines to let you know that I am well and I hope this may find you the same. When I wrote the last time I wrote they told us that we were to go to Fortress Monroe. But on Monday morning about three o’clock when we got opposite of the fort, there was a cannon fired across our bow and we had to let go the anchor and lay there until morning. When the Colonel went ashore, and General Dix not being there, the officer in command ordered us down to Norfolk. And when we got ready to start there was a holt from one of their man of war came along side and ordered us not to leave until General Dix came back. But the Colonel ordered the Captain to go on. When they ran out six cannons set their flag to fire on us but they got a signal from the fort to let us go or else they would of send us a sinking. For they were not more than two hundred yards from us. So when we landed at Norfolk we were ordered to take the barges for Norfolk. Where we, around eight o’clock. then started on the march for the camp, where we arrived about 10 o’clock without tents or anything to eat. Then we stacked our arms and laid down on the ground to sleep without anything over us but the heavens. But that went better than being tossed about by the waves. For of all traveling that I hate the worst it is the sea. When one looks around and sees nothing but water around it makes you feel if you would like to sleep until you get to the end of the gorge. But fortunate for me I did not get sick like a great many of the rest. We are now about four hundred and fifty miles from Philadelphia and about one hundred miles south of Richmond. Yesterday we could hear the roar of the artillery about twelve miles to our right. But this morning it is a raining and everything is quiet and we have not heard the result. As the pickets have not returned. I expect we will be marched on to Richmond from this side unless they attack it in front and the sooner they do it the better. For I don’t want to lay here long. For we are laying along side the biggest swamp that is in the United States. And the water is bad and the ground is not much better and the quicker they fight it out the better. For I want to get back before morning time. Little did I think that they would send us here when I left home and it was done for. I cannot see but the nine months will soon be over and Uncle Sam has not got money enough to hire me one day longer. Dear Emily. I must close my letter for I want to write to John Bayens to try and get that money from Earley and get it to you or there is no telling whether he will have the money in six months from now for he spends it as fast as he gets it. I shall not try to get a pass now for I would have to go by water and return the same way. And I think that they will take Richmond yet and then we can go by railroad. So Dear Emily you and the children must try and be cheerful until I return. God knows I would like to see you and the children now and if I had not been taken so far away I would have been home before this. But I have been desiring to be home as well as all the rest. I hope you have got wood and things so you will not suffer. For I am too far away to see to you now. And if they let you suffer they will hear from me. And I will come back to you and Mirah, Flora, and Winfield and Adelaide. You must take good care of yourself. We are the furthest south of any of the Army but I fear the rest of them will have the fighting to do. For it wouldn’t do for them to take us in now. For the most of them would sooner be taking prisoners than go to fight. But for my part I look down on them, for when we past through Norfolk they would holler and put their fingers on their noses and say, “Darn you, I hope you will never come back.” But we will show them different.

No more at present. Give my love to all and let Emerson help you do the butchering when the hog gets fat. And if we get paid the sixteenth and the two months is paid I will send my money home and then you can get along and I will feel a good bit better.

Direct your letter to Lieutenant S. C. McCombs, Company F, 174th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia, Suffolk Post Office, Virginia in care of Colonel Nyce. If you write to Fortress Monroe the letter will be sent on as soon as it can but write again as soon as you can. From your husband,

S. C. McCombs

I send kisses for you all.