208th Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-5795

Description

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

November 24th 1864
Defenses near Bermuda Hundred

Dear Mother,

I thought I would answer your letter from the 20th to let you know that I am well and enjoying good health and I hope when these few lines reach you, are enjoying the same good health. You stated in your letter that your Father is very poorly. I am sorry to hear it. But I hope he may yet recover from his sickness and enjoy the blessings of his old days yet. I have written in some of your letter to give my best respect to him and would like to see him and talk with him. But as the circumstances are, I cannot see him. Give my best respect to him and tell him I am sorry that he is sick. But I hope that he may soon recover if not, it is Good will so it will go.

I was out on Picket on the night of the 22nd and I tell you, it was so cold here that I almost froze.
We had no fires. About one o’clock the Rebs commenced to fire again. But only two volleys and we boys fired too. But nobody hurt as far as I know. But on the line where our regiment pickets they say they won’t. You can tell Fred Hare that the Rebs desert every night. On the 22nd there was two camp on my line and they say till Spring the war is over. They say they won’t fight anymore and if Fred Hare wasn’t a coward, he would be here too and see how many comes over and if the war ain’t over till Spring, I think he will get a chance yet and good many more that voted for McClellan. But old Abe is going to send peace commissioners to Richmond to make peace and if they don’t accept, then look out in the Spring for another draft. Then some of them that are laying at home, they will not get a chance to show what they are made of; whether they are fighting material or not.

Don’t you pay John Parks for that corn unless I tell you.

I received them stockings that you sent me and them ten dollars and I want you to send me five dollars a week till I tell you to stop sending, for I must have it. It costs like everything. But I can not help it. You tell Mrs. Bower that we did not persuade him to vote for Abe Lincoln. He voted on his own accord. But if he would had voted for McClellan, I bet you he would not cook for us.

If you get the rooms painted upstairs, get the rooms painted downstairs too – all – and the stairway and entry and the kitchen of some dark color.

I will write to Brother Ruben to send you some corn and get you some pigs. Let me know how heavy your hog weighs if you can kill her. Tell Gusty to be a good boy and go to school and try and learn right well till I come home. And Esther to be a good girl and nurse the baby right well and learn right good.





No more at present. Write soon. Give my best respects to all. A sweet kiss for you all. So good bye.

Yours Truly,


William H. Gemberling

I will send you a rebel newspaper and you can read rebel news. Give it to Henry Walter when you are through with it.