211th Pennsylvania Infantry - Wounded at Petersburg

Item LTR-6065

Description

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

Camp in front of Petersburg

December 22, 1864

Dear Wife,

Your kind and welcome letter of the 6th is at hand. I was very glad to hear that you enjoy good health for it is a great blessing to have health. I will inform you that I am very well. I have stood all the hardships any soldier could stand except fighting. I have not been in any battle yet but we have done extreme marching. There was expecting an attack last night by the enemy. Our officers were warned to stay up all night in case there should be a battle to have the men fall out in five minutes and ready for action. There are a great deal of cannonading done here but I don’t mind it any more. It has become perfectly harmless to me. The majority of the shells explode in the air. There was one entered the ground and exploded. It left a hole almost large enough to bury a horse.

I will inform you that we are putting up winter quarters about one mile and a half from where we are now quartered. We intend moving tomorrow before daylight. We have to do all our marching after night to keep the johnnies from seeing us. We may not stay long in our new houses. There is a report that we will go to Lake Erie along the Canada line to do guard duty. I won’t believe it until I get there.

The weather here as a general thing is very nice. There have been several cold spells. Yesterday it rained nearly all day. Today it is rough and cold. There has not been any snow here yet. It is a very healthy place here, good water and plenty of it. I think it is a very good climate here as there is not any sickness of any account. I will let you know that my health has been better for the last six weeks than it has been for six years. My clothes have got too small for me.

You say I never let you know whether I got that five dollar bill. I will inform you that I got it and have it all spent but twenty-five cents and I intend spending that today for tobacco. If you have any more money to spare, you may send me some more. A man can’t get along here without money. The captain thinks we will be paid in January. We may not be paid inside of six months. When you send the next box, send plenty of butter and apple butter and light cakes, sweetened. You know I am very fond of donuts and I am out of letter paper. You may send me some paper and envelopes and stamps. Don’t send any apples in the box as the weather is too cold. They will freeze and rot and spoil everything else in the box.

You would like to know whether I have heard any preaching since I am in the army. We have a chaplain and he has preached for us three or four times since he is with us.

I close by sending my regards to all acquainting friends.

Yours most truly,

Nelson Statler

Answer promptly