Fort Independence Boston Harbor

Sunday Oct 27 1861

 

Dear Sarah

                        I have nothing to do this afternoon, have just finished my dinner and am going to take the time to write you a letter. I think it will be a long one too that is if I fill this big sheet. I had a good dinner this noon of baked beans and pork with bread. this morning we had pork, bread and coffee for supper we will probably get bread and molasses and all the coffee we wish. we do not get molasses every night nothing but bread and coffee. no milk or butter. I am growing fat on the food. I eat more here than I did at home. I was over to Boston last Friday and see Bill Brown a few minutes. he told me I was growing fat. I live just as well as any body need to live. We sleep in bunks. I suppose you never saw a bunk and will try to tell you what it is. It is something the same as one bed up above another only it is not painted and does not look much like a bedstead. The upper bed is as high as my shoulder. There are four sleep / in each bunk. When I came here I slept on the floor upon a mattress. We each have a blanket and a mattress that is all the bed we have. I sleep well enough though. We are alone on this island now, and live up in the Fort, twelve in each room or three bunks. The rooms are large and high. We have a coal fire and manage to have some good times. This is the fourth place I have lived in since I came here. We have got settled down now I think for a few weeks, perhaps months, nobody knows. We received our overcoats yesterday. They are blue and look quite nice. I went to see Martha three weeks ago and did not go off the island again till last Friday. I helped row a boat up then and was in the city three or four hours. I think I shall go over to Boston again this week there is a boat goes every day to get the provisions and six or seven have to go as rowers. I might go quite often if I tried. I was very glad to get a letter from you it came sooner than I expected I suppose you have heard from me by the way of home I do not write letters as often as some would and perhaps shall not write to you so very often, but you must not think I have forgotten you. I will write to you as often as I can conveniently. I have not written to Martha since I was there that was more than / three weeks ago. I must write soon or she will not know what has become of me. I am in a good company and like very well so far. I did not expect such good fare as I get. I have good companions some of them are real good fellows. Jackson Crossley is here. I was rather sorry to see him come but he has got along well enough so far. I was afraid the boys would not like him, but I have not heard anything said against him yet and guess he will get along. There was one fellow here that the boys did not like the looks of and did not make things any too pleasant for him, so he left rather slyly. We were glad to get rid of him. For the last few days there has been a boy here that thought he would like like to be a soldier. he is only fourteen years old and his Father sent him over here to have us sicken him of soldiering so he was set to work in the cook room and I think when he went away this morning, he was a little disgusted with a soldiers life. I do not have much to do. I have been on guard three times in about a week. it is not much work to be on guard here. they are not strict at all yet. in the night we can sit in the guard house and read our two hours. I have to work a little helping keeping things clean some days, but the day after / being on guard I do not have any thing to do. I think I shall go over to Boston the next time. Jackson Crossley brought me a box full of things to eat. I had some butter and so asked the cook for some bread he gave me a whole loaf. I have eaten it most all now. I think it healthy to live on army rations but when I can I get all the good things I can. I suppose that William is busy getting his corn and things into the barn I wish you might get into farming and like it so that you could settle down and be independent I think that farming is the best employment for a man if he can be contented at it. I believe some of our fellows are going to have a prayer meeting this evening if they do it will be the first meeting that I have been to since I left home. There are some good fellows in this company and some that are not as good. I had some chestnuts in the box from home. are there many chestnuts on your farm. I would like to go a chestnuting first rate but there are nothing but horse chestnuts here. It is sometime since I commenced writing to you. I have not written steady, but am getting some tired of writing. do the folks ever go to see you now. I suppose it is not so that they can. Martha will be at home in a few weeks and then perhaps they can drive down to see you. Now Sarah you must not worry about me. I am not homesick at all and am glad I have enlisted. in three years if I live I shall be all the better prepaired for something else. You may write as soon as you are a mind to, but I may not answer it for a month

 

good bye         Jerome

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