5th Vermont Infantry - Killed at Winchester

Item LTR-8928

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 2 pages, written in period ink.


Camp near Belle Plains
January 15, 1863

Dear Wife and Children,

I seat myself to let you know that I have just got a letter from you. It was not dated on the inside but the envelope was dated January 7. And if you can’t write no more than that, you need not write to me any more for this is the last one that I shall answer. That is written so short and you must think that I am a fool or something worse but you will find something different pretty soon. For I know you can write longer letters than that if you set your mind to and if you don’t write more I shan’t write at all for it don’t do me no good at all to get such letters from home. You must think that it don’t make me feel very good to get a letter from home. But when I get a good long one from home it does me more good than 50 dollars. Well all the hopes I have is to get a letter from home and to hear that you all are still well. But taint half of the time that you say if you are well or not so I don’t know for certain who writes to me and now you must write more as less to me from home in hopes I don’t receive yet no more such short letters from home.

Well, I shall not write much this time, soon more, at present.

John Naylor

Jane Naylor

Just tell Purvis Phelps that Johnny’s well.

Well Jane shall not see me sing yet.