35th Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-7192

Description

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


Camp 6th Regt. P.R.V.I.
May 4, 1863

Dear Sister Sarah

Over a long space of time has past since I received your most welcomed letter. I have no excuse for not writing you before this. Neglect has been the reason for I have had time enough but it is a great task for me to write letters but sister knows I love to get letters; to hear from my good friends. You may think I don’t think of my friends but if you could hear Sims and Brother Ed and myself talk of friends and good folks, you would think you were never forgotten. Our folks are all well that includes Sims, Ed and myself. The weather is rather warm here nowadays. We had a hard thunder showers last night. This morning is cool and beautiful.

Rather be here than with old Jo Hooker at present. He is having rather hot times I suppose. Let them fight and he will come out victorious. He has the best army in the field. Mostly all old troops, well drilled &c. And if he does, with the help of God, gain a victory, this time you will see the rebellion shrink fast. We hold ourselves in readiness to move at one moment’s notice.
I hope we will be ordered to fetch up the rear for our old guns shine with vengeance. Brother Ed says he is bullet proof. Been hit twice; good as ever, yet he has had good luck. Been in 5 battles and out of the 5 hit 2. He is bound to make a good soldier. He would not come home if he could. He says his father always told him when he commenced a job, to finish before he left it. Good advice but the way I do, I lay by all advice in time of war. I shan’t run in the fire for the sake of getting burnt; nor neither will I run for the sake of getting out of battle. If it is my lot to get killed here, so be it. But that is the least fear of a soldier.

We are having such good times here nowadays: warm weather, more pleasant than winter. Sister, I had a long winter of the past one. Not one well day did I see for 4 months. Thank God a man can find friends everywhere. I had some good times and some hard ones when a fellow is so sick that he can’t get up and lay and let his feet freeze rather hard. But we won’t talk of the past but of the things in the future.

I must close this for the band is out here playing “yanky doodle dandy” and I can’t sit still. You would laugh to see Sims dance after marshall music. Do you remember the times he danced in the Hall all hours as Hellen Lockwood and her husband.

Well of course, Sister, I want you to do me a favor. I know you will for you always did when in your power. I can’t tend to it myself. That is to speak a good word for me to some fine lassie that when I come to see you maybe we could agree and make a good match. Sister, will you excuse these few lines of foolishness?

You said you liked to get long letters but I can’t think of a thing that will interest you if I could I would write all day. Don’t wait for me to write. Write soon and I will write as often as possible. Give my love to Grandfather and Mother. Also the rest of the folks. Hoping that war will soon be out of our minds and peace at last through the land.

Brother Ed is going to Washington in a few days with a friend of his to make a visit. That is all the place the soldiers can go visiting. No more at present. I remain you Brother,

Bule Brigham