1st Michigan Cavalry - Killed at Trevillian Station

Item LTR-9100

Description

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

Washington
March 26, 1864

Dear Parents,

I take the present opportunity to inform you that I am well hoping these few lines will find you the same. We start tomorrow for the fort. We got orders to leave tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock. I have got a pretty hard cold. I got put in the guard house the other night and caught a pretty hard cold. Sunday, I got a pass from the sergeant and signed by the captain.

I took the pass and went about a half mile from camp and the provost guards came along and took me and marched me to the guard house. They took about thirty of us, and is the last time they get me. If I hadn’t depended on the pass, they wouldn’t got me there, but the pass wasn’t good for nothing. It snowed day before yesterday at night and in four hours the snow was seven inches deep. That night I stood guard. You better believe I had to dance and tonight it is raining awful hard.

One of my tent boys was taken with the measles and in a week he was a corpse. They sent him home. His name was John O Hicks, he lived north of Romeo and a nice fellow. They won’t discharge a man here till one leg is in the grave and the other slipping in. I have got the itch like fire but fat as a buck. I hope these few lines will find you all well. Give my best respects to all.

William H. Price