Camp Sec R.I. Reg^t

Near Fredericsburg Va.                                             

May 31. 1863.

                                   

Dear Sister.

              I suppose I shall have to write you a few lines today just to let you know that everybody is alive and kicking.

 

Co I. did not have to go on picket this time as the detail from this regiment took only six companies, but we have to stand camp guard enough to make up for not going on picket. We were on guard last Wednesday and again today.

 

Another of our company have died in the Hospital from the effects of wounds received in Sunday's battle. Pitts S. Winsor. He is buried today I believe in R.I. where he lived. I believe I forgot to tell you in my last / letter that Serg^t Wight had died. he died in Washington from effects of Sundays fight. So now there is five in this company that have died since four weeks ago today. They are keeping us at work yet and I cant see any end to it until we get all the cedars cut that are on this side of the river and then I dont know but they will send us the other side after them. The camps are looking beautifully all trimmed up with cedar boughs and the company streets are to cleared of stumps and rounded up in the middle with gutters on each side for the water to run off in. I dont see as there is ever going to be any rain so I dont see the use in digging ditches for it to run off in.

 

            I will send you a couple of letters in this (unless my memory serves me as it did two weeks ago) one written by Col Read. (S.R.N.R.) the other by a R.I. man in the U.S. Chasseurs. It sounds rather / foolish to us to read some parts of it and it shows us how much reliance can be put in the papers and newspaper correspondents. That part where "the rebel regiment came flying through our ranks cutting off the three left companies" is a little too steep. I shouldnt thought Col Read would have sent that to be published. The two left companies did get separated from the rest of the regiment and a part of company I. but it was not by any rebel regiment charging through us. we run in to the 10 Mass reg't and got mixed up with them, thats all there is about that. The field officers seem to have made an agreement among themselves to puff each other up as much as possible in the papers. Read says Col Rogers acted as Color Bearer "about half the time". he took the colors two or three times and planted them in front for us to form on, and then the color corporal supported them. The Col was in front of us all the time and done well, but it looks rather funny to see all the officers playing into each others hands. 

 

Your envelopes and stamps came very handy I should have used the last today on this letter. I was glad to get the paper from home. It seems they have got a new Editor. What has become of Buckminster? Strawberries are beginning to be ripe in this part of the world. I have had two meals this last week they grow in the woods or where there was woods two or three years ago, good large ones. Our Asst. Surgeon has got himself into a little scrape. A woman came to see her son in the Hospital where he was in attendance and was there a week or two. A few days ago she made a complaint to the head Surgeon against him and the result was he got kicked out of the Hospital. the boys all boot after him now when he goes along. I dont sleep alone yet but its getting most too hot now for three in a tent. in the winter time it will do very well but two is all that can get along comfortably in a tent like ours I smashed my watch crystal into five hundred pieces the other night fooling. its the first one I ever broke. it runs right along quite the same being a hunter. Tell E.N. I shall be looking for her appearance in about another year. L. C. Cook

 

[front top margin upside down]

 

I cannot find the paper that had those two letters so I shall have to send it without them. I am very sorry for I wanted you should read them

 

I wrote to Eva six weeks or two months ago and enclosed a letter to Alice Wilcox with a bone ring in it has it ever been received. I never have heard as it had been.

SOURCES