19th Massachusetts Infantry - Captured at Antietam

Item LTR-5639

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages written in period ink.

May 24, 1862
Camp near Bottom Bridge, Va.

Dear Father and Mother,

Since I last wrote you we have advanced some 25 miles and now are near Bottom Bridge, and also about 1 mile from the Chickahominy River. We left the woods the day after I wrote and marched about 5 ½ miles to a high elevation of land which overlooks the Pamunkey River and which is called Lee’s Farm, because owned by a son of General Lee of the C.S.A. While on the march we passed through New Kent where there is a court house, it is about as big a village as West end and the court house is about as big as Wheelers store. We stopped there until the 21st when we again broke camp and marched 15 miles to a large wheat field (near Tunstall Station on the West Point and Richmond Railroad), and pitched tents. It was the hottest day ever experienced. Only 15 men came in and stacked guns out of our company. I did not fall out though but was pretty well played out. We stopped there until yesterday morning, when we again resumed our march and marched about 5 miles to where we now are. It is pouring rain today and our shelters are not exactly waterproof, but being wet is nothing in war times. We get whisky twice a day, ½ a gill in the morning and ½ a gill at night by order of general Mac, sometimes I drink mine sometimes I sell it and sometimes I give it away. I am not afraid of getting accustomed to drinking for however many faults I have I can leave off chewing, smoking or drinking whenever I choose. I think I shall leave off smoking for I have not smoked for a week. Whisky did not have anything to do with putting me in good spirits at the evacuation of Yorktown. I am really sorry that Grandpa is so slim out, hope that it won’t last long. That letter you saw in the paper about the 19th having brigade drills is not true. We were camped there but did not drill at all. You speak of joining the Temperance Lodge when I come home. That I shall never do. It shows that a man is not capable of governing his appetite without having to join some secret society and knows if he forfeits his pledge he will be published to the world. When I think that I can’t get along without, I then may join. Did you ever see Father drunk, well he never joined and Temperance Society and I don’t believe he ever will. I don’t wish me any steadier then you are for I like to have you have good times as well as I like to my self. By all means wear a hat if it is comfortable. (Even if it does make you look green). I like long letters very well but I can’t write very long ones out here for there is but little news here. But I am coming to the end of my sheet and shall have to bring my letter to a close, so good for the present from your affectionate son. George H. Patch.

I forgot to say that I received your letter of the 14th, 17th and 19th and also 3 papers yesterday afternoon.
George H. Patch