Fort Independence Boston Harbor

Nov 7^th 1861         

     

Dear Sister

                        I have just received your letter and have hastened to quiet your mind and stop your worrying. I do not see why those fellows thought I was disatisfied with this company or sorry that I enlisted. I am great deal better off than I expected to be, and the fellows that are with me here are all good smart boys and men. One that came here last week has taught the high school in North Oxford for the last three years. he heard of this company and broke up his school right in the middle of a term and came down and joined the company. There are some here from Maine New Hamshire, R.I. and several from York state. one right from West Point. his father is a Major in the 12^th U.S. Infantry. Our Captain will not have any one but those of the right style You must not write / again that you are worrying. I am half a mind to write a letter to Nancy and give her a good scolding. I had not been here a week before she wrote to have me come home on a visit. I am just as contented as I can be here. am growing fat, after being on guard I have leave to take a boat with the rest of the old guard and and go over to the city. I was over all yesterday and was with W^m Brown. One time, one of the fellows and I spent the day at mount Auburn Cemetery. I enjoy myself here and am not sorry in the least that I came. We may go to West Point in a week but I think we will stay here several weeks. most all winter. We have not got our rifles yet, there was 8.000 ball cartrages came this noon for this company. I will not write any more and merely wrote what I have to contradict my being discontented. I did not advise those fellows not to enlist, but wanted they should use there own judgment and then they could not blame me. I told them I hoped they would enlist but should not advise them either way. they had no reason to say I was dissatisfied 

 

I do not know when I shall write again. time seems to pass very fast and I do not like writing letters excuse writing

Jerome

SOURCES