1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery

Item LTR-8603

Description

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


Battery No 3
Dec 29th, 1864

Dear Emma,

This is my day to write so here goes, although yours of the 21st (if you wrote one on that day) has not been received yet, but our mail has been very irregular for the past week and it might have been delivered somewhere if so, it will come in time. Christmas evening, I went up to the old company (II) and had a very pleasant time with my old friends of that company and one that will long be remembered. As it was probably the last one of that kind that I shall ever enjoy with the party that I was with that evening. Last evening Lt. Bill and myself went up to Major Brookes Headquarters on business and we had a lively time coming home for it rained and was so dark that we could not see each other. I am certain that we called on every ditch and mud hole that there is between the two places, at least our clothes looked like it when we got home and we were as wet as rats. I don’t think I shall go a visiting again very soon in a rain storm. It has been very quite on our lines for several days past until yesterday when we had quite a lively cannonade for about two hours. No one was hurt in our battery. The news from Sherman and Thomas has caused considerable cheering and excitement in the Army for a few days past. Everything looks encouraging and it does seem as if this war must soon close. The Rebels on the opposite side of the river have become very indignant of late, and will not answer any questions that we ask them. A number of officers of our regiment received leaves of absence this morning and will start for home in a few days. Lt Humphrey is one of the number. When he comes back, I expect to have a chance, as Lt Bill thinks now that he shall not go home until March. If I thought the war would end in another year, I should not think of going home this winter if I could not get more than 15 days. But as it is uncertain about that, I shall probably expect 15 days if I can’t get any more for I may not be alive next winter as the fortunes of war are very uncertain. Now Emma if I don’t get a letter tomorrow I shall begin to think that you are sick or else have runaway with some other good looking man and shall begin to look for another gal. What do you think of that? Well it is dinner time so I will close with love.

Yours Truly
Charles W. Smith