41st Pennsylvania Infantry - Killed at Fredericksburg

Item LTR-5947

Description

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

Camp Pierpont
March the 2d A.D. 1862

Dear Sister,

I take up my pen to inform you that I am well at present and hope that these few lines may find you in the same state of good health. And sister I must say I think that you have altogether forgotten your dear Brother. For I have written you two letters before this one and this is the third letter that I directed to you and still got no answer. I don’t know what is the reason that I don’t get any answer anymore. I would like to hear from Father and Mother once again for I haven’t heard anything from them for so long I don’t know whether they are all dead or not. If they are, I wish you would tell me of it, if you are living yet. Sister I wrote in my other letter that if Father needed any money this winter why you should let me know in the next letter. And I would send him some in a letter. But you never sent me any answer about it. Now Sister I hope that you are all well and may continue so and I hope that you may get this letter and answer it soon. Sister, I don’t know when I will get home but I hope that we will all get home before long. But I think that we will have a battle before long. But I don’t know where. But I think that we will have one again, you know that we had one some time ago and we gained the day too. We are still in the same old camp yet but I don’t think we will stay there long any more. But I don’t know. The weather is very bad, it is all the time wet down here and the roads are very bad too. It is raining and snowing here today. And the other day we were on picket and it commenced raining in the evening and it rained all night till morning and then it cleared off cold and I tell you Father it was a pretty ugly time for our business. But we all stood it very well for we are used to such things as that, a soldier don’t mind a little rain. But the poor soldier has a great many hardships to go through. But still Sister and Dear Father and Mother, I like it very well yet for I am willing to fight for the union. Let things go as they will, I want to help to put this rebellion down. If I have to fall in the battlefield I will only have to fall once Dear Sister. But I hope I may not fall. I hope to return home safe again to my dear old Father and Mother and Sisters. Now Sister, I must bring my letter to a close and hope that I may see you all again in this world. If not, if I never get back home again, I hope to meet you all in heaven where all is peace and rest and no more warring and fighting with one another. Now Sister I bring it to a close for this time with my love in it to you and Father and Mother and Sisters. I send my love and best respect to you and all inquiring friends. Don’t forget to write me soon my dear Sister. And when this you see, remember me, all though you are many miles from me.

Your dear and affectionate Brother,
D. R. Torbet to his sister Miss Jane Torbet

Direct your letter to D. R. Torbet
Washington DC
12th Regiment, Company G, P.R.C.
In care of Captain Diven