112th New York Infantry - "These Rebels fight like tigers"

Item LTR-9796

Description

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

Camp Suffolk
May 31st [1863]

Friend Walmsey,

I thought as it was Sabbath today and I had not much to do I would write a few lines and let you know how I get along well. I am as well as can be and hope this will find you the same. Things are all quiet here now but the time has been that a man had to keep his eye pealed here in this place. The way the thing looks here now we shall make our time good what we enlisted for. The boys from up there around our place are as well as usual. I believe I would like to be up there about a couple of weeks around the fourth but I shall have to get what fun I can out of the playing ball with the rebs. These rebels fight like tigers and I don’t think they ever will give it up until it is swiped plain out of them now. I would like to be there to see some of them girls. It seems rough on a fellow to be away from them so long now. I want you to write to me and give me the lay of things in general. There is not much more to write and I guess I will close by writing you to write soon. This from your friend.

Grant Cobb


Well old fellow how goes the battle with you all over the square. I’ll warrant things are as smooth as are here. The girls are strong secesh and hate the yanks. They give us a wide track on the street but we manage by talking secesh and using plenty of greenbacks to get in feeling distance. We have had a gay old time for two weeks previous to last Tuesday. We took a devil of a tramp tearing up the seaboard and the Norfolk and Petersburg railroads burning nearly all the houses on the way. Harry do you hear from Jim? I received several letters from him but he has dried up. I see by the papers that he is Sergeant. It is a good position and it does me good to know that he has succeeded so well. Harry it take a man of iron nerves to stand the storm of shell and balls that the old 42nd has been exposed to. I see old Dell Grant and all the rest of the Gerry boys every day. They are well and willing but we little realized what we were going into when we left town. It is awful to see men full of life torn limb from limb right by our side but we can stand the pressure. Give respects to all who inquire about me. Write all the news soon.

Yours truly,
Tripp Bucklen