7th Vermont Infantry

Item LTR-7848

Description

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


May 18th 1865
Mobile, AL

Dear Sir,

Thinking that perhaps you might like to hear where I am I thought that I would try and scratch off a few lines to you to let you know. I am well and have been most all of the time since I enlisted. We are in camp near Mobile City about three miles north of the city. We came here the 9th and have been here entrenching. We have all the potatoes we want if we see fit to pay $10 per bushel for them and green peas at about the same price. We received news that Jeff Davis the rebel president is a prisoner of war yesterday and that General Smith was poisoned by a woman because she thought that he was agreeing to surrender. That is good news to us for we expect that we shall have to go to Texas and fight him.

I was in the fight at Spanish Fort and our corps supported the charge at Blakely. We have marched about 200 miles since the 17th of March. We have had very bad grounds most of the way. We have had to build considerable corduroy roads and several bridges. Some of the way we could not cover 6 miles a day and start at four in the morning and work till there about four in the afternoon.

I don’t think of much more now. So I will close. Please write to me and let me know how you get along. Direct to Company E., 7th Vermont Volunteers, New Orleans, LA

From a Friend,

Florenzo D. Owen