Camp near Yorktown V^a

April 22^d /62.

 

Sister Lizzie

                        I received your letter of the 15^th yesterday evening after I came in off "fatigue duty". "Fatigue duty" is any duty or labor which a soldier does, other than that with arms. Our "fatigue" yesterday was cutting a road through a hill so that our siege guns could be brought to bear on the town. It rained yesterday in the afternoon, and of course, being out I got thoroughly drenched, but the sun is rising beautifully giving promise of a fine dry day.

 

I congratulate you in your success against "Am No Jack Ass" and if I had been home I think you would not have had the costs to pay but if I live till pay day I'll have 4 months wages due me and I'll send you enough money to make things all right as soon as I can after I get paid. Tomorrow I'll be 7 months in service and I believe no regt in the army of the Potomac has seen tougher times or been put through harder than the 57^th P.V. However I dont think the war will last much longer 

 

You seem to think that we will have our hands full in the taking of Yorktown but we are sure of success and with the fall of Yorktown the rebellion must fall. You have seen the account of our fight in the "Post" you say, well it was a brisk thing while it lasted but as I wrote Jimie the account I need not say any more about it. I also wrote an account of it to Maria Albin. If you get "Frank Leslie's illustrated news" it is likely you will see the picture of the whole fight for one of his artists was at a convenient distance taking a sketch of the whole fight while it was going on.

 

There is fighting going on almost continually along the line of pickets and we are called out in line of battle nearly every night. While on picket a couple of days ago the rebels threw a shell into our lines killing 2 and wounding 3. Only 1 (that was one of the killed) belonged to our regt, Co G. The 83^d shot a soldier who was deserting from the rebel lines but he lived long enough to tell them that he was a Northern man and was pressed in to rebel service. He also gave them the address of his folks and said he did not blame them for shooting. It is said that one of the regts / on picket took an orderly of the same prisoner and he told them that they might take Yorktown but they never could take Island No 10 or fort Donelson aint that a note?

 

            People talk of "war and its wide desolation" who know very little what they say. What would you think to see all the country from Pine Grove to Mercer and from Mill Brook to Black river with its woods cut down, its fences burned, its stock butchered and eaten and the land dug up into ditches, breastworks and fortifications? such is the picture of the country around here. And besides this the country is as thickly populated with soldiers as the fair ground is with citizens on a fair-day.

 

            I was never better pleased in my life than when I read your letter. It astonished me to hear of Jimie ploughing with Ellen. Is it possible that she will work? Tell Jimmie not to work too hard. There is always "a life for the living". Do not quarrel with each other and do as well as you can at studying. I should write to different persons but my stamps and [paper hole] at present I must keep some [paper hole] home and to the Girl I left behind / I must go on camp guard to-day so I'll quit for for a little

 

            Tell Andy Houston that I am well and that as soon as he is able to write I'll be looking for a bouncing letter from him. He & I used to chaperone the school mams of the neighborhood and were great cronies and although times has changed with both of us still memories of the past will not soon be forgotten.

 

            Jno Snyder is well and send his respects to you and Uncle's folks

 

            I do not see why you call Glenn & M^cDougal sergeants; they were only corporals when they left us but as a corporal has 2 stripes and a sergeant 3, it would be very easy to put the 3^d stripe on their arm so as to pass as sergeants.

 

You were right in directing to Washington D.C. as so often [faded] no difference where we are I'll get your letter if living.

                                                           

Give my respects to Albin's and if you know who [paper hole] is give my love to her! No more [paper hole]

SOURCES