112th New York Infantry

Item LTR-5824

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 3 pages written in period ink.

Camp J Allen
October 6th 1862

Dear Uncle,

I am going to write you a few lines to let you know where I am and how I am getting along. I am in old Virginia. I am not very well today so I have nothing else to do but write. I have just been fixing up the ends of my tent with some boards that I tore off from an old rebel’s shanty. I enlisted the 26th of August last. We have fine times here. The boys are full of fun. We have fresh meat, chickens, new milk and turkeys and various other things that we took from the rebels. There are lots of cows here. When we want milk we pin up the cows and milk them in our canteens. When we want pork we shoot a hog. When we want chickens and turkeys we go and get them. Our Colonel did forbid it but that didn’t do any good. It is somewhat warm here. It is warmer here now than it was last summer in Chatauqua. The country here is level. The soil is nothing but sand. There is no stone here. We can dig down 10 feet and find nothing but fine sand that I know for we had to dig wells to get water. I haven’t heard from home since I came here and I have been here three weeks next Wednesday. We have cool nights and heavy dews. How do you folks all do? Your boys haven’t enlisted yet have they? It seems just like home here to me for I am acquainted with all the boys that came from Cherry Creek. Some of them having fun are my schoolmates. I couldn’t get homesick if I should try. All we have been doing lately is building forts. We have got this place well fortified. I have written all that I can think of and I must close. Write soon and oblige your Nephew. So good day.

Direct to Mr. John M. Greene
Suffolk, Virginia
Company K, 112th N.Y. Regiment