23rd Massachusetts Infantry

Item LTR-5401

Description

4 pages, original Civil War Union letter written in period ink and war dated.


Camp Andrew
Annapolis, MD

December 9th 1861

Friend Winslow,

I now have this opportunity to write a few lines to inform you that I am well and I hope that you and your family are the same. William Henry is well. I was in his tent a few evenings ago - and then they were putting up a small sheet iron stove that keeps the tent in good order. It looks like military out here. There is now about nine regiments here. A few days ago there was a large body of cavalry here. But the most of them is gone away, I believe. It seems to be the talk here, sometimes, that we are going in a naval expedition. But I guess we won’t go before January - if we do then. Today it is shirt sleeves weather. The weather in general is very good. On Friday I got a pass, the first one that I have had since here. It was a pretty day and I enjoyed it pretty well. I went at the Naval Academy and it is a handsome place I tell you. There are eight handsome large, three story buildings on one side. General Foster occupies one of them for his headquarters. You know that Charles wrote about it. What a first rate place it is. It is the making of Annapolis I should think. And then on the other side there is a row of buildings that the 21st Massachusetts Regiment occupies. I thought that I should like to have such quarters. They are not I think – there is a meeting house there too. I looked around and went from there to the State House. When I got there some of the members was in the house. I looked around and it looked pretty nice there. And from there I went up the cupola and there was a good sight of the country. But the town ain’t so very large. I shouldn’t think it was much more than half as big as Marblehead. The streets are narrow and muddy. Tell Charley not to work too hard and tell him I send my best respects to him. Also my respects to Mrs. Winslow and daughter. Give my love to my wife and family. Tell them that we enjoy ourselves very well considering the times. And now whilst I am a writing, our orderly came and sing out roll call. It is now 8 o’clock in the evening. This morning we got up just after daylight and from then till 9 or 10 o’clock we were a getting ready for Sunday Inspection and then we went in a field and was inspected and that took up the first part of the day and at 2 o’clock we paraded and went to meeting on our parade ground. Mr. Manning, I believe it was, that preached. He belongs to Salem, I believe. And then after services, we had about one hour’s time and after that, dress parade. So you see that we are engage to duty the most of the time.

Yesterday there was a soldier drummed out of the camp at the point of a bayonet. He felt very bad and most anybody would felt for him for to see him take off his uniform before the regiment and put on other clothing -- the same fellow a little while ago was put in the guard tent for stealing. He and four others and they had their trial and was sentenced 4-days knapsack drill and a half month pay. It appears that this fellow had some trouble with one of the officers and so they put it on to him. They all belong to Captain Brewster’s Company. They are Newbery Port youngsters, I believe. The regiment as a general thing is a very good regiment. But in New York, some of them showed themselves. I would give more for one temperance regiment than I give for a dozen intemperance ones. I had as live/have to do with rebels as drunkards for I seen something what liquor does. It disgraces everybody concerned. I saw a little of it when we was in New York. If the American army was all temperance men, it would be a great deal better in my opinion. And now Mr. Winslow, we had a trial yesterday to a target. The whole regiment fired at a target. Each company had a separate target. We fired three rounds and we had sixty out in our company and we hit the target forty-seven times. We called it good firing. Some of our men never fired a gun before. Tell Charley to write and now I wish you good evening.

I remain your well-wisher,

Richard Caswell