5th Maine Infantry - Brevet Brigadier General

Item LTR-9798

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 6 pages, written in period ink.


Headquarters 5th ME Volunteers
Camp near White Oak Church VA
Jan 11th 1862

My Dear Wife,

I thought it best to write you again tonight as I have but little to do and all is now quiet around Camp the tattoo is just over and the poor soldiers goes to his bed or not exactly a bed but what is a substitute. The most of them have but one blanket and their tents are but poor protection to this cold wet weather. I have a nice tent with a fire place in it. I will give you an idea how it is built! The first place a hole is dug in the ground the size of the tent about two and a half feet deep and a fire built in it and it was burnt out and as the soil is quite clay like that it burnt hard and dry. Then a fireplace dug in the ground so the chimney comes up on the outside of the tent and there the tent sat on over this cellar and the wall of the tents is five feet and the depth of the cellar is two and a half so it makes the walls of my house sit over a half feet high. The wall below the canopy is boarded up with hard bread boxes that is the boards from the boxes after they were tore to pieces. The floor is laid with the same and the tent is a new one put up last Thursday for the first white, air clean and very light and pleasant. I am now writing in my tent. My seat is a good chair that Division got out of one of the neighbors. I also have a good hard wood fire and open fireplace. My household furniture is as follows: one bed and cot, two chairs, one table, one desk, one looking glass, two tumblers, one water pitcher and any quantity of bottles, one brass candlestick, one wine glass so you see I have everything but a chamber pot to put under my bed. My hardware and Dutch oven is kept in the back tents with the servants of which I have but one by the name of Neville from New Gloucester. He is a fine fellow has been with me since I came from the James River. He has been a cook for the Colonel and me. His mother is the Lady I let into camp to see her boy at Camp Pribble. I think I once spoke to you about her. Capt Harvies of Portland arrived tonight. He was the one that resigned some six or eight weeks ago but got sick of home and got reinstated again. I do not know but I should do the same but I don’t see it. I wish you could just look in on me tonight and see how cozy I am fixed up but I fear we shall not be allowed to stop long as they are now talking of moves. But so goes the world. I think if you was here you would like to stop over night as my accommodations are first rate. I do not know but I shall send for you and if you cannot come try to get some one else as I expect there is plenty that would like to come to keep house for me. I would like to have you look around and see who there is that is if you do not come. Get a woman that can stand fire, that will not be afraid of the load of the cannons not the crack of muskets and finally one that is good in any place. I shall expect her to black my boots, do my washing, fetch in the wood, keep a good fire, do my

cooking, set up night while I sleep as the bed will only hold one and finally do all there is to do. But there I will not write any more nonsense this time. I hear tonight that there is some boxes for this Regiment. If so I hope that fatal box will turn up that has caused so much trouble between man and wife. They are at Division Headquarters. I will not close this till I hear from them so good night (Monday noon) The boxes have just come from Headquarters but none from Jeremiah. So I am destined to go without a spell longer. There is nothing new in camp. Only officers of the Regiment got up a recommendation for me for Colonel and every officer in camp signed it. It went to the Governor this morning but I do not know as I will get it as there is so many pulling for it in Maine. But if I do not I shall leave the show and if I do I think I will not stop long as that will be the upper round of the ladder and I am about sick of the show. I think there will be a chance for me to leave quite honorably soon as I think all the Old Regiment will be consolidated. That is about two put into one and what surplus officers will be mustered out and I will be out of that number. No one can say anything then but they think something of me here in the Brigade. I spoke to the Adjutant General last night about a leave but he tells me if it rains within a day or two he thinks I can leave for Maine but if there is to be a fight that I must be in it. They say that I am of some importance. So you see I am thought something of yet that I have not run down very low. I am feeling very well but I hope not above my place. I think I shall yet make the Eagle strap. If so you can feel a little proud of this old boy. I want you to keep in good time ready for any emergency but still I am not troubled much with hards or anything of the kind. I sleep well at night but sometimes a little stiff in the morning. But I lay it to my high living. I expect you would like to know what my pay is now. I think from the time Colonel Scamman left it will be about two hundred dollars per month or about six and a half dollars per day. I must close by saying keep up good cheer by reading. Fetch this thing I spoke of. Keep a good lot of nice things if you expect much from me as I am in a low state that is in that line, as I am about wearied from the fair set. Write me all the news. My regards to all. Kiss the little one for me. Be ready for a good time.

Yours ever,
C. S. Edwards