1st United States Sharpshooters - Berdan's Sharpshooters

Item LTR-9536

Description

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


Headquarters, Berdan’s 1st Regiment
Camp of Instruction
Company F
Washington, DC

January 1, 1862

My Dear Sister,

I am going to write you a few lines just to let you know how I am doing. But wait a bit and I will wish you a happy New Year. Then I will tell you how I do. I am well. I have got over my cough and I am as healthy as I can be. I got your letter tonight and when I see the writing on the outside, I told the boys I had a good letter and it was. I tell you I shan’t scold I will bet. For I was so glad to hear from you. You said you had seen my Girl. I am glad you think it is good looking. But I could tell better about it, if I could see it. But I will take your word for it this time. I will tell you one thing. You can’t read this letter for the wind blows like the old cat and it blows my candle out and my pen is poor. I guess you would not like to glide around my couch tonight. If you should, the wind would blow you away. I thank you very much for your goodwill toward me. But I guess I shall get my box for Jules wrote. She had got one ready to send by Stoughton. The cake you sent me was very much. The apples were most of them spoiled. But what there was very good. I don’t know what I can do for you. For your kindness to me. But I always knew you was just so good. So, I suppose you can’t help it. I wish you could see me trying to read notes and beat time. I get so mad. Then I think I will learn anyway. I should like to sing with you some of these evenings. But I guess I shan’t have a chance this winter. You should learn lots of songs so to sing when I get home. I must tell you what we have been doing today. We started this morning with a day’s ration. We did not know where we will be going. We went about six miles in the forenoon. Then we stopped and ate our dinner. About the time we got our dinner eaten we see one of our teams coming. It came up into the woods where we were and it had two barrels of cider. So, you see, we had some new cider for New Year’s. We all felt well. I tell you then you ought to have heard them. The whole regiment was with us and we had a nice time. I have got most to run out of news. But I want to fill up my letter. Oh, I forgot to tell you that our Captain was sick. He has been down to the city about five weeks. But he has gotten better now. He was up to the camp Monday. E. Stevens is well. He enjoys kindness first rate. He is bad teamster and he gets good pay. He done have to thrive. I term all he has to do is to ride on horseback down to the city with the teamsters and see about getting the roast and bread and it suits him first rate. He has got a good horse to ride. You must excuse this letter this time. For I write in a hurry. My candle is most burned out. So, write just as often as you can and long ones.

Give my love to all of our folks. Tell them that I am going so write to them one of these days. You tell A. J. that they haven’t been doing anything our here but lay in camp. I wish I knew how you got along at singing. So, I want you to write how you got along. I shall have to stop soon.

So goodbye,

Silas

Give my love to all of your folks and ours. I am going to write to our folks. I have got one wrote to Mitt. I am going to send it tomorrow with this. Write soon.

Silas Chadwick