60th New York Infantry - Soldier Drawing

Item LTR-7844

Description

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


Stevenson, Alabama
Tuesday the 22th March 1864

Friend Mary,

I take this opportunity to answer your kind letter. I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you the same. Mary you must excuse me for not answering your letter before for I have been on duty every day. Mary, we have had the greatest snow storm that the people of this state ever saw. It was about a foot deep. It makes the darkies stick their eyes out. I tell you we had a great time as there was three regiments turned out for to snow ball and we had it. George Nelson is here with me tonight. He has just got back from the hospital. He is not very well yet. I have got me a log house built and George and me stay together. Don’t you think that we have some nice times. Mark was over to see me tonight. He has gone back now. He sends his best respects to you. George sends his love to you and wants you to answer his letter he wrote to you and if you do not get it you must write and let him know.

Mary, if I was out of the army I would stay there. I wish that I was there to get to your party. I would like it very much but I guess that you can get along with out me. If you can’t just let me know and I will come and I want you to go to supper with me. Let me know in your next letter. Mary, let me know what has become of Emma Ketchum. I wrote her a letter and I never got an answer from it. If you see her give her my best respects and tell her that I want her to write to me. Mary I guess that I will have to stop writing for it is after nine o’clock and my Captain tells me that I must blow my candle out. So goodbye. Write when you receive this.

From your Dear friend,
John Gaffney

Direct Co. E 60th NYV
Second Division
12th Army Corps

Do you love me
Or do you not
You told me once
But I have forgot

Johnny in fun

What do you think of my picture?