Henry F. Dowst to Unknown, 4 April 1865
Savannah Ga
April 4th/65
 
I must write you a few lines this evening and let you know how I get along I suppose you will be looking for a letter now pretty soon and perhaps before now the reason why I have not written before is because the mail does not go out only once a week and I missed one mail and it makes it a long time you see. I dont know when this will go out some say tomorrow but I dont know
 
I am well and can eat my rations every time and so are most of the other Vienna / boys. R. Wills is sick and in the hospital. he is not very sick or was not very sick when he left here and that was last friday.
 
his neck was swelled some and he thought that he had the mumps but we did not think that it was the mumps then, but since he went to the hospital Noah Hoyt has been taken about the same and is some sick but not much is so he can eat his rations the most of the time the rest of the boys are all well and contented and fat I know I am for one.
 
We have not got to our Regt yet we are in the same place about a mile from the Regt I should think.
 
We have been at work over to the / Regt a day or two building our tents and getting ready to move.
 
We are building tents to live in out of boards and timber that we get out where Sherman encamped it is about 5 miles from here. our tents are 6 feet 6 inches wide and 10 feet long large enough for four men in a tent
 
have bunks built in them so it is first rate.
 
We live well here now we had soft bread fresh meat onions potato and cucumber pickle and meat soup for our supper to night so you see we live pretty well for soldiers It is warm weather here now the grass is pretty tall and the / trees are all in bloom and things look nice all round.
 
I am behind hand in writing my letter for the has gone out to day and will not go out again for 8 days so the Sergeant just told us
 
Henry Whittier is writing with me on the box that our guns come in! Anthony Little got a letter from home today I should like to hear from home and hear something from Selden and Lan. write as soon as you get this and write all the news &c
                                                                                               
Direct to
H. F. Dowst
Co F. 12th Maine Regt
Savannah
Ga
11432
DATABASE CONTENT
(11432)DOT0147.003k171Letters1865-04-04

Tags: Food, Guns, Hospitals, Illnesses, Mail, Work

People - Records: 1

  • (4060) [writer] ~ Dowst, Henry Ferdinand

Places - Records: 1

  • (104) [origination] ~ Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia

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SOURCES

Henry F. Dowst to Unknown, 4 April 1865, DOT0147.003k, Nau Collection