23rd New Jersey Infantry

Item LTR-5547

Description

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

White Oak Church, VA
March 2nd 1863

Friend Lizzie,

This morning’s mail brought to hand yours of the 24th. The mail has been stopped for a few days, which make the time pass heavily when we do not get any letters or papers. I am on the sick list for the past few days. I was out on duty during the storm and have been unwell since. It snowed here very much on the 22nd. I went out on Saturday morning to be out 24 hours. The morning was bright and clear. The birds were singing. It seemed like a morning in May. I promised myself a pleasant time during the day. I grew cold and by nine o’clock was snowing. It snowed all night. We came in on Sunday morning at 2 o’clock half frozen. This is my luck to be out in the storm. I take it all as a natural consequence. I thought before this we would have been on our way to the field of more active operations. But from present appearance we are not likely to move the different regiments of this brigade are changing their positions near to the river. Our regiment is still at the old camp and from present appearance likely to remain for some time to come. This has been a busy day in camp. The whole of the regiment has been out cleaning camp, sweeping and shoveling. Presents a busy scene. Today is bright and clear. A change from the cloudy, rainy, snow time of the past months. The past cold and rainy has added to the number of sick in the hospital. There are two of our company sick. I have just been to see them. I think one of them will hardly live until morning. The other looks better. Those who are sick in the hospital are to be pitied here away from friends, without any to speak a cheering word or cool the fevered brow or have men to wait on them. But they perform their duty with cold indifference. Mark J. Kines has been his mother’s pet. Always indulged in every pleasure, never knowing the trials of life now far away from home, among strangers, about to die. His regret is that he left home against the wishes of his mother. I am glad to hear Charley has written to me. I was beginning to think he had forgotten. You wished me to tell you what correspondence there is between him and me. There can’t be much you may know for he has not answered my letter yet. At least I have not received it yet. I am living in hope now speaking of whisky and whisky drinking. I have seen much of the evils of the rum shop much of the suffering and distress caused in families by an intemperance. Father, I have often heard of the remark that love is blindfolded. How many a young girl leaves the home of her parents to be a life partner of one whom she knows to be a drunkard husband. In this you may not agree with me. But let us look for a moment here is a sober industrious man. He works all day and find on his return at night his wife out of humor, untidy in her dress, the house in disorder, probably his supper not ready or if ready cold. This man will find pleasure somewhere. Tis not to be found in his family. He will probably find it at the gaming table or in the rum shop. There are more men made drunkards through wives than any other cause. You must pardon me for speaking my mind so freely but I think I always speak my mind and try to be the thing I seem. If you wish to be happy, make home comfortable, make it interesting, let the Bible be your guide and with a firm reliance in God. Home will be what it was designed, a place of minstrel felicity below where to prepare for great joy above. I often think how many a man might be reclaimed from a drunkard grave if instead of railing and scolding, gentler means were resorted to. Uncle Sam came in just now. He has written to C. Sailen about Charley Ruddick. He will probably hear from him in a short time. Sam arrived on Monday. He had a hard time to get here after he got to Washington. He could get no pass to Aquia Landing. He had to wait til Sunday morning. He then had to stay all night at the landing. In the morning he had to walk to camp some five miles through the snow. It being 8 inches deep. He was very tired. He is well at present. He is more contented now since he has been home. He will write to Charley soon. He will give you all the news. I think that poetry very good. Especially the last lines. I feel I have the prayers of friends and I hope through my own endeavors and the prayers of others to make sure work for heaven. I should like to return from these scenes of strife to enjoy peace and Christian fellowship and soon I may return. It will only be to make preparations for a more permanent stay. I hope to come again better prepared for war. Although I have tried to do my duty in the past, I want in the future to take more interest in the cause and run more effective. There is too much negligence, too much play soldiers. I am sorry to see the men so careless when we look at the cause in which we are engaged. Our faces are on the alert improving every opportunity while we are in mere idleness or fighting useless battles.

I hope our new commander will and think he is already making improvement in the discipline of the army of the Potomac. This is not all the democrats at the north are trying to demoralize the men by crying fighting for the N****r, abusing the administration and trying to offer a pence to a people who spares it from them with disdain. I hope the only peace we shall offer will be lead and steel. This is wandering. You must forgive but when I turn my thoughts to the south, there is the subtle foe planning the overthrow of this government to the north. There are more secrets and by far more dangerous foes who to our face are fair yet are ready to sympathize with rebels on every occasion. Here the soldiers of the union are suffering in miserable hardships trying to build up while they are trying to pull down. I feel angry and had the power I would make such an example of the traitorous men of the north that rebel sympathizers would cease. Then we would have some chance to conquer a peace.

I hope you will enjoy your visit to the country.

Ever yours,


William Seeds

Write soon.

You see you will have to behave yourself as I hear from you.