1st & 4th New Hampshire Infantry

Item LTR-8200

Description

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


Near Petersburg, VA
July the 4th 1864

My Dear Brother Charles

I now seat myself to answer your kind letter that I received yesterday, closing of date June the 26th and was very glad to hear from you and to hear that your was all well and at this time of written this leaves me in good health and enjoying myself as well as a soldier can in war times. Well, Charles, this the fourth of July and it is very lonesome today. There is rain and it is getting cold today. There is not any news here. I suppose that you’s are all having a nice time today and I wish I were there to enjoy the fourth with you. The boys are all well and send their respects to you. We have not had any fighten for some time now. Expected a fight today but everything is quiet. It is a very pleasant day. We have been in the trenches before Petersburg ten days.

You must give my best respects to all of the boys and tell them that I should like to see them all.

Well, I don’t think of any more to write this time so I will close. O, there is one thing more. We had about fifty men killed on the enemy works and they would not bury them nor let our [folks] get them and we stole up to them in the night and got them all up but 2 and we could not get them.

I have not heard from Jane yet and you tell her that I would like to hear from her. Give my love to all of the folks and except this from your Brother.

I must close my letter by bidding you good by. This comes from your Brother,

Alonzo Gay.

I got those postage stamps and was very glad of them.

Please write me.

Henry Crind sends his respects to you all.