150th Pennsylvania Infantry - Ducktail - Wounded at Spotsylvania

Item LTR-9056

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 8 pages, written in period ink.


Camp of the 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers
Near Petersburg, Virginia

January 19th 1864

Dear Wife,

I sit down to write a few lines to you in answer to your kind and affectionate letter, which came to hand last evening. And I was glad to hear that yourself and the children was well and doing well. As this leaves me at present, for I am in good health and I am able to eat all that I can get. And I was also glad to hear that my Father and Mother was well and in good spirits. And I was also glad to hear that your father and his family was well. And you must give my love to them and let them know how I am getting along down in Dixie.

You said in your letter that you had put Willie in pants. And you said that he looks like a Dutch boy. Which I think is altogether likely. For he is so fat when he is well. Tell him that his Pap wants him to keep his pants clean and nice while his Pap comes home. I think that he wanted to go over to his grandfather’s to stay with Harvey who is just where he likes to be. For his Grandpap makes so much of him and his grandmother also. I think that he will not want to come home very soon without something happening to him which he don’t like. And then he will want to come home to his Mam.

Mary, you spoke about my Father and Mother being so good to me, as to send me anything that I ask for, which is in reason for me to ask of them. And my dear wife, I feel proud of them. For to have good parents is one of the greatest blessings which anyone can ask for. But we are apt to think they are too hard on us when they tell us things for our own good. And I hope you will try and please them while I am away. For one never knows how much they are loved until they are parted by some events in life.

And now my dear wife, you said in your letter that you had got me a coffee pot instead of the quart cup that I sent for. Well, I am very well satisfied with your choice of the coffee pot. But the reason that I sent for a quart cup was that it would come so much cheaper than the coffee pot. And you said that you would send me the tobacco that I sent for from Sewell’s, which will save one dollar on the two pounds that I sent for. And I think that the paper and envelopes will also be a saving. And when you send them, let me know what they cost so as I can know how much is saved by it. And then if it will save anything worthwhile, I will get it all from home instead of buying my paper and envelopes off of the Sutlers. For I don’t intend to spend any more money with them than I can help. For it seems to me like throwing money away—for a person spends one half and gives them the other.

Now, my dear wife, I told you in my last letter that I thought that I would have some money to send you. But I have been disappointed in that. But I hope that it won’t be long before the pay master makes his appearance amongst us. For he would be a most welcome visitor, the most welcome one that could come amongst us at the present time. For all the boys would like to have their money now that we are in camp.

Mary, you spoke about Mr. Filkins writing to me again. And I think that it is strange that I have never received any of his letters or I would have answered them. For I always respected him as a gentleman and a friend. If I had the directions that I have got now, I would have written to him long since. And now that I have his directions, I will write to him in two or three days and probably before if I have the opportunity of so doing. For I think that he must have directed his letters wrong or I would get them.

And now my dear wife, you can give my love to Maggie and Susie Nettle and John and let them know how I am getting along. And give my love to all inquiring friends and let them know how I am getting along down in Dixie. And now my dear wife, may the Lord bless you and the children and keep you from all harm and guard and guide you by his counsel. And may he spare our unprofitable lives and grant us a happy meeting on this earth. And if not on this earth, that we may be so happy as to meet in heaven where parting shall be no more forever and where the Lord is the light thereof.

Mary, I was sorry to hear of the death of Mr. Samuel Eppeheimer. For he was a good man as far as anybody could judge of him from outward appearances. And I was also sorry to hear of Mr. Coleman being read out of the church for the sake of the church. For it will give the church a bad name amongst bad men. For they are the ones who will pick flaws where there is none. And now Mary, I think that the likeness that you sent me is a very good one. And I will do as you wished me to do. Mary, the boys in the company says that they don’t see how I go so good-looking a woman for a wife and myself not a good-looking man. So no more at present.

From your affectionate and ever-loving husband,

George A. Dixon