33rd Pennsylvania Infantry

Item LTR-7244

Description

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

December 8th 1861
Camp Pierpont, Fairfax County, Virginia

Dear Sister,

I received your kind letter on the fourth, stating you were well as usual. I received one from Orpha Ann on the fourth, saying that they were all as well as usual and her health is still improving. James and I are as well as common. We are doing very well at present. On this day week we each received one box of provisions. James one from Robert; I one from Kingsessing. They were both filled with the best of provisions, so we have been doing pretty well since the arrival of our boxes. We still have considerable of them eatables left yet.

The weather this last few days past has been pretty cold. Today the weather is quite pleasant. It is like a day in May more than one in December. James is just taking a good snooze.

We are out on Friday on a foraging expedition within about 2 ½ miles of Drainsville. We captured five Rebels – one captain, one lieutenant, 3 privates, 2 contrabands, 45 wagon loads of wheat, oats, corn & potatoes, [and] 1 pair fat oxen. Then we returned back to camp all safe and sound, not losing a man. We expect to go on another of the same kind tomorrow or at least such is the talk today.

The talked some time ago about letting us come home to Christmas dinner. They said that the war would be ended but it don’t look much like it yet according to the best of my judgement. I think if it don’t make more progress that we have seen, it will last four years longer yet.

Give Geneva one kiss for each of us – Uncle Dave & Jim

It is now dress parade. The drums are beating and I must bring my letter to a close. So give our love both to all the family.

From your loving brothers,
David R. Green and James L. Green

We had John J. Hoops down to see us last Wednesday and he thought we were doing right well. He thought we were very comfortably fixed. He said he thought the soldier life agreed very well with James. He is fatter than ever I saw him. I think I am about as thin according as he is fat.