Camp 33^d Regt. Wis. Vol.

Near Memphis Tennessee,

March 29^th 1863

 

Miss. Annie M. Henry

            Sparta Wis.

 

My Dearest Annie:—

I have just sent you a few lines written in much haste but I can not rest satisfied tonight without writing more. My highest aim is to gratify and encourage you, and if any thing I can write you will make the long weary hours pass more pleasantly to you I shall be happy. Indeed I should feel guilty of doing you a great wrong should I neglect any opportunity of adding to your happiness. As I am trying to fill up the long hours of another Sunday evening I can not keep my thoughts from you and have been wondering all day if you were spending as gloomy a day today as you did last Sabbath.

 

            No language that I can command could express the joy and satisfaction that would fill my troubled mind could I seat myself by your side this evening and converse with you without a single harassing care to mar our joy. You say in your last letter that you have something you would like very much to tell me but do not think it best to write it. Do write me a good long letter as soon as you receive this darling and tell me all. Remember dearest Annie that you are writing to me. One with whom all you say or write is sacred—who sympathizes with you and feels an interest for you that no one else can.

 

            Write darling just as you would talk were I with you. Nothing except to be with you could please me better. I am alone dear the Capt. and Lieut. have gone to bed and all is quiet in camp. For an hour or so now I can sit and think of the loved ones at home, read my bible, and enjoy all that looks like the Sabbath to me here. You may think surely there is not much for me to enjoy here. True dear there is but very little, but when I look back and see the many dangers through which I have been brought in safety, that I am still in good health I can not but be thankful. There are many many blessings for which I ought to thank my Heavenly Father tonight. I thank God that I have you darling to intercede for me, and help me bear lifes bitter trials. Probably at this moment you are earnestly asking heavens blessings for me. This thought often cheers me darling and will when all other sources of comfort fail. I can not send this until tomorrow evening dear and as I may think of something else I would like to write you between now and morning I will not fill up the sheet. Good night darling. May God bless, protect, and comfort you.

 

March 31^st

Dear Annie:—

                        I meant to have finished and sent this yesterday but was called upon early in the morning to go out on picket and have but just returned. The Post Master hailed me as I came in this morning and as he handed me yours of the 25^th remarked there was something he knew would please me. I certainly was pleased to see it, and much more so to read it, as you seemed to feel in so much better spirits than when you wrote the Sunday before. I wish now that I had not referred to the matter of your feeling so sad as much as I did in my letter on Sunday and the first part of this, as I see from your last that you endeavor to avoid it all you can but I guess what I have written in this may all go in together as I wrote just as I felt at the time and especially in regard to your writing whatever you would like me to know. Do write me a good long letter darling and tell me all your secrets. I had the most interesting time yesterday that I have ever had on picket yet. I was stationed with 28 men on the main road running east from the city. My instructions were to allow neither man, woman, or child to pass out of our lines without a pass from the Provost Marshall, an invoice of any article they had with them, and also a permit from the board of trade to take them beyond our lines. If any article was found about them not allowed by their permit, evry thing they had was to be confiscated and they sent to Head Quarters under a guard. Most of the goods taken beyond our lines have been purchased and taken out by ladies, who in many instances have attempted to smuggle through our lines pistols, knives, papers, letters, and maps of our fortifications and forces here, concealed about their person in evry conceivable way, thinking that the proper respect due them as ladies would shield them from examination and thus from detection.—During the day some 25 or 30 of them passed us whose trunks, hand boxes, carpet sack &c had to be carefully examined. Some conducted themselves as true ladies, admitting the necessity of the occasion, and taking evry thing patiently and in good part. Many of these I could not but admire. Others / submitted only because they were obliged to, and found considerable fault at what they thought unnecessary strictness. In such cases I was not particular about making them a little extra trouble. Altogether I saw more of Southern ladies than I have ever seen before and shall probably remember the day as long as I live. The boys that were with me had a good time jay hawking as they call it. a man came along just before dark with a quantity of liquor, sardines and such things and while he was showing me some some things at one end of the wagon the boys took several bottles of liquor and boxes of sardines out of the other end. Sandy Bill happened to be out with me and I assure you he got his part. He has not received a cent of pay of pay yet, but since the other boys have been paid he has abundance / of money. I wrote to William a few days ago. I should certainly be happy dear to make you a visit while your sister is with you, but do not let my absence destroy all your happiness darling. I trust the time will soon come when we can together return her visit. Do not be discouraged in regard to the war dear Something will be done soon. I will try hard dearest Annie to be a "Good boy" and not do any thing that I should blush to tell you of when I return. With the assistance of your faithful prayers I can return to you with the full consciousness of having served my country, and loved you faithfully. Give my love to your Mother, Maggie, and the boys. Remember that long letter.

           

With unreserved Affection                

I am dear Annie

Ever Yours      Geo. Haw

SOURCES