98th New York Infantry - Killed at Chaffin's Farm

Item LTR-7148

Description

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


Tango Landing, VA
March 11th, 64

Friend Ira

Once more I seat myself to pen you a few lines to let you know that I am among the living. Yet I wrote you a letter about four months ago but never received any answer from it. So now I will try my luck again. I don’t know but you have forgotten that there ever was such a fellow as Mage Pulver. If so, you will remember him when you read this or about the time you get half through & then I don’t know as you will answer for I think you got my other letter. But if you don’t answer this, I will give you down the banks when I come home which I think will be in about five months. I expect you will see some of the boys in my Co as the most of them is on their way home. They left here four days ago. I expect they will give you the news when they get there. But they can’t any of them give you the news that I want to & that I am agoing to. They don’t know whether you can ever learn or not that they haven’t surprised to know but I know something about that myself. Well enough of that. The next thing is they didn’t make a veteran of me & what do you think of that. I think bully for Mage. I can’t see Uncle Sam for three years more but three good cheers for Uncle Sam. But for Uncle Abe I don’t care a damn. When my time is out I am through soldiering. You can bet on that. And with every time I think three years is enough for any one to be in the army what think you? Well there was more damn fools in the 98th Regt than I thought. For the most of the Regt has reenlisted again. There was thirty out of my Co that went in for three years unless sooner that they tried to get me again but that is played. I have got enough of this big thing long ago. All that I ask is to get out of this scrape & get back to old Sadus once more. Then I will take you up to the center & learn you how far I have got the trade perfect. I set chewing & smoking both at a time while I am writing to you. So if I make good many mistakes, you can know the reason. I tell you it is damn lonesome here now since the boys has left. But I will soon get use to that. I have nothing to do only eat my rations of hard tack & salt horse & what I can steal out in the country which is now & then chickens or a turkey. We have a good chance since the boys has gone. We don’t have any guards that stops us. We go where we choose nights. I expect you know what kind of a thing a soldier is. They won’t take anything that they can’t carry off but tame birds that wears feathers must rust by if they don’t get found.
Well Wix, I hear that you have lost most all your teeth. If so, that is a bad go. I don’t know what I should do in that case. Down here I don’t believe that I should get my part of hard tack & salt horse. But as luck should have it, I have a fine set of steel pointed teeth that can chew a dead mule for five months more just so. But at the same time, I think I should rather be down to John Weavers giving old dun a twist. There would be more solid fun in that I believe, what think you?

Well Wix you may get tired reading but don’t think hard of me this time as you didn’t answer my other letter. I mean to have it take you some time to read what I have got to say. For it has been some time since I & you has had a good talk. So now I am in for it. If you only write as much as I do I will be very much obliged to you & will let you go up the center to see Sis now & then. Well Wix, how does Sis get along? I hope all right for I want to give her a call when I come home. She wasn’t in very good humor when I was at home so I couldn’t get a chance to give her an evening visit. To bad, to bad but can’t be helped I will make up lost time if I ever get back to old Sadus again. I want you to take good care of all of them gals until I come around. Then I will take some of them off your hands. I expect the southern door hadn’t open to old Stanes as much as it use to be when I use to go up there. Well, them times is passed but I hope as good ones will come again before long. Wix, ask old dad if he can see that hawk that he couldn’t see one time when he was coming from the creek. Also tell him that mam barely is all right & I know it for that cake is nothing but common stuff such as the children takes to school. Well, if I don’t close soon I fear there will be a heavy flap of thunder. Then I go pray.
Wix, I mean that you shant say that you never got a letter from me if you ever get this & I want you to do as well. Then all right. You will see when you read this that I haven’t [been] down to John Weavers nor up to the Sentre but hope to be there soon. Then we will have some of them old times over again. You can bet high on that. I think when I get back that I shall go in better business than I was in before I left home. I think some of going in partnership with John Weaver raising hound pups & selling them for bull pups. Don’t you think I can make a speck on that? Now if you will be steady & not get drunk so much, I will take you in as a partner also. Well enough of such stuff. I want you to write as soon as you get this & write me a good long letter like I have you & give me all the news. I had a letter from Prine Riggs a day or two ago. He is all right & also one from Andrew Laughton but he never said one word about Alf nor Sim. Tell me if they are in the Regt or not. I am going up to Norfolk in a few days & I will get my picture taken & send it to you. It is about forty miles from here but I can go on a boat so it don’t take but a short time. The boats run within twenty rods of our camp. Well, I close, hoping to hear from you soon. My best respects to all & a big share to yourself. Consider this from your friend as ever. Wendle Pulver

PS direct Wendle Pulver Co F 98th Regt, NYSV. Norfolk, VA.