5th Wisconsin Infantry

Item LTR-9448

Description

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


U.S. Sanitary Commission
Fort Davison

January 27th 1864

Dear Parents,

I received your letter of the 11th this afternoon and will now answer it.

I was glad to hear that Willy was getting better and that he would be at school next week with the children. I hope he will try hard to learn. I don’t think a lot near the Seminary is worth as much as one near the Seine, Randall’s or on that street. But buy one wherever you can get it the cheapest.

We thought we would get our pay at this payday. But I guess we will not. We are mustered for pay at every other month or every other month. We will be mustered for pay the last day of February and will probabl6y be paid between the 10th and 20th of March. Captain Hall came back from City Point some time ago and has been with the company some time. I have plenty of time to fix my clothes. They have nothing to fix but seams except my socks. And I can fix them, I guess.

There has been one death in our company at hospital at City Point. His name is Burpe. He came from Pleasant Valley. He owed me 5 dollars. I don’t know whether I will get it or not.

Has Hank McCarty written to Dan lately or not. Dan has not heard from him in some time. He is in Company A.

What is that which you send to me for me to wear. What is inside of it? Can I open it? What is on the outside?

Have you sold any cattle? Did you get the sugar cane seed that I sent to you in a letter some time ago. I got everything you sent to me but the last papers, which if you sent them about the time you sent the last letter, have not come yet. If you sent them some time ago, I have got them.

Has Sam Given up going yet to the war? Have you got the town order that was due me from the Town? I have lost my gold pen.

I have been detailed as guard at Fort Davison. We are about a mile in the rear of the breastwork. There are thirty-one men and one lieutenant.

I got detailed with 5 others from our company. There is no artillery in the fort. All we have to do is relieve three guards every two hours for 24 hours every third day.

You need not be afraid of our starving. For we are getting fat.

There is no danger of our getting into action. As we will stay here till the Corps moves, I guess.

We can hear the big guns every night. As the gunboats pass Fort Darling. They sound as if they were near or towards Richmond. Most of the boys think the war will be over before our time is out.

If you have a little camphor gum, I wish you would put a few grains in a letter and send me some. Do as you wish about sending me something. If you send them, send to J. F. Ellis, Company K, 5th Wisconsin Volunteers, Washington, DC, Care of the Christian Commission. I might get it and I might not.

I wish you would write every week.

J. F. Ellis