Charles W. Smith to Emma A. Leach, 16 April 1865
Camp in the field
near Chapins Bluff Va
Apr 16th 1865
 
My Dear Emma
                        I received a letter yesterday dated the 13th which I think must be a mistake in date for it dont seem possable that a letter should come through in two days but if it did then yours of the 9th if you wrote one has not been received as the last one before was the 6th and a gloomy letter it was too and I hope I shall not receive any more of that kind for what is the use of being scart before you are hurt and I am not half as good a man as thousands that have filled soldier's graves during the past month, but the danger is all over now and I am safe and sound so you can be as happy as you choose and rejoice over our glorious victorie with the rest of mankind. I dont believe you are half as patriotic now as you used to be, are you? I dont think / that our Regiment will ever have to do any more fighting nor do I think that there will be much more fighting anywhere although Johnsons army hasnot surrendered yet, but he will soon be forced to do so as Gen Sherridan's and part of the Army of the Potomac are in his rear and Sherman in his front which will soon open his eyes for him. I have not been to Richmond yet but shall go in a few days and I guess that I shall flirt with the girls just as much as I have a mind to I know that they are mischievous creatures and have got many a man into a scrape but I aint a fraid of them. by the way there is a little secesh girl (17 years old) about half a mile from our camp that I call on quite often her Father is a Colonel in the rebel army but she seems to think that the yankees aint so bad as they mint be 
 
Now my dear, as you have shown up one side of the breeches question to perfection I think you had better turn to the other side and give us a little more light on the subject. so please give us a few samples when you have leasure for it will be truely interesting if you handel it as well as you did the other side. By the way Emma I think that I have told you before not to delay writing on account of our Regiment moveing but if not I will say now that it dont make any difference where we go if a letter is directed to the Regt it will be forwarded to us where ever we go. You mint direct my letters to Washington Alexandria Petersburg or Richmond and they would reach me just as quick as they do now. so please dont delay writing again on that score. You know I never want but one set of petticoats around me at a time although / I do like to change them preaty oftend at least some of the old women think so yet I do think that I have stuck preaty close to one set of those indespensabels for the last four years and intend to for the rest of my life if nothing happens. what do you think about it? The 3rd Conn Battery (Capt Gilbert) have just arrived here and have reported to Maj Brookes. they will go into camp with us. We are having preaty gay times here now there is six Officers in our mess including Maj Brookes. we have got a white man for cook and two niggers for waiters to make our beds, black boots sweep our quarters &c. &c. but I expect to have a white waiter before many years who will not only make the beds but will help to tumbel them up afterwards wount that be gay? I should just like to step in and spend this evening with you for I feel just like tormenting some one and you are just that person provided you wouldnt take up more than half the lounge. The weather has been very disagreeabel for a week past as it has rained about half of the time but it dont troubel us much for we have got good quarters now and when it rains we stay indoors
 
Yours ever
Charlie W
 
To                                                                        
Emma H.                                                                                             
3977
DATABASE CONTENT
(3977)DL1652165Letters1865-04-16

Letter by Charles W. Smith, 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery, Chapins Bluff, Virginia, April 16, 1865; re: end of war, Confederate surrender, girls


Tags: African Americans, Camp/Lodging, Courtship, Death (Military), Gender Relations, Happiness, High Morale, Joseph E. Johnston, Mail, Philip Sheridan, "Rebels" (Unionist opinions of), Unionism, Victory, Weather, William T. Sherman

People - Records: 2

  • (526) [writer] ~ Smith, Charles W.
  • (527) [recipient] ~ Leach, Emma A. ~ Smith, Emma A.

Places - Records: 1

  • (2521) [origination] ~ Chaffin's Bluff, Henrico County, Virginia

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SOURCES

Charles W. Smith to Emma A. Leach, 16 April 1865, DL1652, Nau Collection