Camp 13^th N.H. Vol^s

Chaffins Farm V^a.

Jan 5^th /65

 

Dear Ari

                        I will try and write you a few lines to day just to please you "how is that."

 

I have no news to tell you. every-thing remains the same as usual. we have not had to move yet nor I dont think we shall have to just at presant although we cant tell any-thing about it for we may move tonight. a soldier is not supposed to know any-thing. "how is that."

 

We had orders last night to eat up our four days rations that we have in our haversacks so that dont look much like a move just yet. Oh Ari I forget to tell you that I have the honor of belonging to the best Reg^t in this Division it was posted up at Division Head Quarters, so / every-body could read it, "how is that." aint that some for New Hampshire hay. (the order has just come for a detail of one hundred men and three Commissioned Officers out of our Regt. to do guard duty at Corps Head Quarters. it is considerd a big thing to be the HeadQuarter Guard and the way we got it was for being the best Regt in the Division. have^nt I told you that we have a bully Regt. It will take about all of our Reg^t to do that guard duty. Major General Gibbons is in command of this Corps "the 24^th" we will guard him this week and next week he will take a Regt out of the other Division so he will find out whitch is the best Regt in the Corps, "dont ye know." well Ari I guess you will think that I am bragging a little. Oh no, but we all feel proud and why should^nt we "hay". Well Ari I will try again and see if I can finish this letter. I have been out to help the boys fix up / their things so thay would look nice to go over to Corp Head Quarters. thay have got ready and gone, and I tell you Ari, if thay did^nt look nice, I would^nt say it, with every button as bright as a new cent. I did feel big Ari when I saw them march away looking so well. I would have given most any-thing if you could seen them. but you will want to know how it was that I did not go. I will tell you Oh no no no the Officers could^nt spare me no how, oh no. I must stop with them "fight or no fight." you will notice that I have always been with them and why it is so you must guess for I never shall tell, but I am well satesfied. I had rether be where I am, then to swap of with them. I can have any-thing that I ask for, but some-times when I ask them to let me go away from the Reg^t thay will say I would^nt go Steve, you had better stop with us, so I dont go. I get along first-rate with every-body in the Regt and I think I shall stop with them. 

 

I have just been to dinner, and what do you suppose I had for dinner. Hard-tack and coffee "thats all."

 

I am blowed if I can find any-thing to write about, so I will send you some verses that one of our boys wrote just to fill up my letter. I am looking for some more tobacco and a pocket hankerchef every day. Say Ari do you know who backed this letter. guess you think I cant write. looker here, now write often come, will you. I will pay for the stamps. my love to Elmer and tell him to be a good boy for papa is coming home some-time. I will write again soon.                                                     

 

Good day.

From your affectionate

Husband

Serg^t S. B. Tarlton. 

 

C^o K. 13^th N.H.V.

By Ge^o H. Throop

Air Alabama again

 

For the Union again

Away from the land of the dreary long winter

            Where the snow & the ice are so deep on the plain;

Our Bugles are blowing, our banners are flowing

            And stout hearts are glowing for the Union again.

                        Chorus.            For the Union again!

                                                For the Union again!

With shouts and with singing & Bells all a ringing

We'll welcome the dawn of the Union again.

 

II.

In camp or on picket, they'll pass the long winter,

            Tho snow clad the mountain, and dreary the plain

But their Bugles are blowing, their banners are flowing,

            And stout hearts are glowing for the Union again.

 

III.

And when the long days of winter are over,

            And sunshine and flowers are bright on the plain

With a prayer for the roaming, we'll kneel in the gloaming

            And pray for the comeing of the Union again. /

 

IV.

The day star of peace, O'er the mountains is rising,

            And beaming in gladness on valey & plain.

With dear ones now roaming, we'll kneel in the gloaming

            And welcome the comeing of the Union again.

 

V.

 

[upside down]

 

For The Union

again.

SOURCES