51st Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-6466

Description

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

Camp in Virginia
November 1, 1862

Friend Trites,

Yours of October 26th came to hand this morning and found me still in bad health if not worse than when I wrote to you last. I am doctoring every day but the medicine I get don’t seem to do any good. Martin is much better than he was but is not very stout yet. Leedom has got quite well again. There is a large number sick in the regiment and if they keep on a few weeks giving us moldy cracker and rotten meat to eat all will be sick. Some few days ago we entered complaints to the colonel. The meat has been better since but not much of it. I hear this morning that our rations will be cut shorter still in a few days. That they won’t haul anything but meat, crackers, coffee and sugar. Soon as it comes to that I will be of the same opinion as all the rest about here. Let us go home and let the government go to hell and the leaders with it. I spoke Captain Bisbing about Z. Campbell descriptive list and other papers. He says he can’t send them yet for he was never informed of his death and he can’t send them until then. We did not know he was dead for a certainty until I got this letter from you. But he will attend to it soon as possible and I will do all I can. I will see the colonel about it and try to hurry it along. There has five men left our company of late and joined Hugh Brown and Jacob Huck. They joined cavalry and the other three artillery. They got tired of marching and carrying knapsacks. I think there is a battle going on a few miles in front for we can hear heavy cannoning all day. I was glad to hear you and your family are enjoying good health. Hope it may remain so.

Respects to all and write soon.

Direct as usual

Your,

Enoch B. Kirby