140th Pennsylvania Infantry - Chaplain

Item LTR-5984

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 2 pages written in period ink.

Camp near Falmouth
140th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers

February 4th 1863

Dear Brother,

Think it might be well for you to come to the Army as an agent of the Christian Commission for a week or tow or you might come for a month or two. There is quite a work being done at the present time by that commission. There is a greater work yet to be accomplished. The work consists in distributing bibles, religious papers among the soldiers in the army, in those regiments where there are no chaplains. There is not more than one chaplain now to every fourth or fifth regiment. You will see more about this matter by reading my last in the N. P. February 5th. Think you and Ben might make yourselves useful by doing something for the poor sick soldiers in our U.S. hospitals. I don’t know how a man could make himself more useful for a while than come to the army. With his loaves of bread, butter, dried apples, etc. for the lame and the sick and a Bible, grapes, preaching all for the soul. Can’t your pastors do something? Get up an aid society and get them to send you as their agent to distribute their goods, things. Come right to me and I will go with you a few days. Write me soon. You can come here and remain as long as you please if you get an agency.

Yours,

M. Ormond