Oct 24^th 1863

Camp of 50^th Reg't N.Y.V. Eng'rs

Washington D.C

 

Dear Parents and loved ones at home. It is saturday morning dull and rainy and I have nothing to busy myself about except to write to you and even that does not go off first rate for it is most to cool and we have no fire to warm by We will probably get a stove in a few days but then there is no telling how long we can stay here to use it. A stove with two or three lengths of pipe will cost about four dollars here in the city. We are all well except Hice he has been quite sick for nearly two days but says he feels a little better this morning. The doctor told / him yesterday that he thought he was a going to have a fever but I hope not. He wanted Hice to go to the hospital but he has not gone there yet and I dont think he will go if he can avoid it handily but then I think it would be better for him to go there than to stay in his tent where it is damp and no fire. We have had three ponton drills this week one on Monday afternoon one Wednesday afternoon and the other yesterday (Friday) afternoon The time usually taken up for one of these drills is two hours and we generally drill two hours each forenoon making four hours a day. Guess we wont hurt ourselves at it. The Capt and Jim Mandeville went over and saw Charly Mandeville yesterday he was well and liked / soldiering very well so far but he has had but little experience yet Jim says that they have not received their horses yet so they have little to do. Charly and Eb Perry are both Corporals Charly is first Corporal and expects to be made Sergeant in a few days He thinks of coming down to see us next week. Do you remember Lyman Hardenburg he was here to see us day before yesterday I did not know him it had been so long since I had seen him He belongs to the 107^th Reg't N.Y.Vol the same one Bill is in. Lime is sick or pretends to be and is in the Army square hospital but he dont look very sickly he dont A. James. Bingham comes to see us every few days he has lost his speech and he to is in the hospital. We are a good ways / from home yet we often see many of our old York state acquaintances down here go where we will we often meet them and they seem almost like near relatives to us. We have all been blowing about washing the breakfast dishes and we have got Dewitt to wash them at last when we wash them again I will write and let you know Polk wants Dewitt to let him cut up his (Dewitts) overalls for dish cloths but he cant prevail on him as yet It still continues to rain with little prospect of its drying up soon. No more at present

                                                           

This from your son

Charles. W. Personeus

                                                           

My love and best wishes to all

SOURCES