12th Massachusetts Infantry

Item LTR-7822

Description

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

Camp of 12th Regiment
October 10th 1861

Dear Wife,

As my last letter was a mere scroll, I will write to let you know that we are still in the same old place. I have not received any letters for a considerable time. I have not received any from you since yours of October 1st. I think I shall get several by the next mail. Run arrived today, we have had no mail for several days. If I do not get any letters then I shall wait till I do before writing again. I do not want you to set down and write two or three letters a day to me because I find fault in not receiving any. You need not send any papers, cake or candy. I have not received any letter from anyone in Gloucester except you since Raymond arrived. The particulars of that funeral you will probably see in the papers. It is something I do not like to write about. I should think if Julia thought anything of me, she would write. But everybody has so much to do I suppose that they keep neglecting to write. I do not know how long we shall stop here and I don’t care much if we stay here. We shall be safe for there is no danger of the rebels crossing the river. Today is Thursday I think and Saturday we go on picket down to the rat hole. So if you get the letter by next Sunday, you will know where we are. There has been a fight somewhere very near today. For we have hear the fighting. Not a great way off, probably at Poolesville. The place I think we shall go to when we move. That is the place where we expect to have our fight if we have one very soon. I think I shall write a long letter to Henry giving him some good advice. For any one is apt to be led astray in the army, especially where they are stationed in large cities. And if privates are court martialed they receive sever punishment of proved guilty. If any officer gives an order and it is not obeyed, they is arrested, kept in the guard house two or three weeks before trial. You must excuse my haste of writing for you will see by my writing that I have got the blurs. I am going to have my hair cut today.

Believe me to be your devoted husband,

Benj. F. Cook