Suffolk, Va. Sept 24, 62

 

My Dear Anderson,

                                    I presume that you expected to hear from me some time before this, as you certainly had reason, as I left an affair rather unsettled, that you should have known about before I went from Camp Wilson. The note of ten dollars that I held against Cha^s A Kimball and intended to give you before I went, I mislaid until the day before I started and as I could not see you, and also was not particular about troubling you about it, as you was so ill, I gave to him and told him to pay it to you, rather an unbusinesslike operation, I allow but still I think his word as good as his note. He said he would pay you the first of January. The other was a more serious affair. You promised to loan me twenty dollars, about a fortnight before I left Lowell. I then thought that I should not want it, but just before I left I found myself very short, and I had pledged Mr. Stevens that I would pay him the 30 and was in duty bound to do so. He came to see me about an hour before I left camp / for Boston. I had not the money to pay him, and could not leave to borrow it of any one, and I took the great liberty of telling him that you would pay it for me, I thought, and if not, that I would write Mr. Chase, and he would advance it for me. It was the tightest pinch that I ever found myself in. I hope that I did not put you to much inconvenience by my action, but now the greater trouble is, when I can pay you. The troops here say that they do not get paid hardly once in four months. I have no dividends due me until after January. If you have advanced the money for me & cannot wait, I will take measures to see that you are paid as soon as possible. Please write me about it. I hope you will consider my circumstances when you judge of this act. I wrote Alice last night, and she will probably get the letter before you do this, in it I detailed what I saw on the route, that was not down in the papers. Our reception in / New York was the only one that we really enjoyed. It was in the day time, and we were just hungry and tired enough to enjoy it. I went down into the breakfast room at the Aster House, where a certain four, that you and I know, made their debut about five years ago, it is used as a Bar Room now. The other receptions were in the day night. That long speech in the Vox Populi, that was reported as made to us on our arrival at Philadelphia, was read to a tired and sleepy lot of men, on board the ferryboat just before we landed. Nobody minded anything about it, only to notice when it was done. Washington is a nasty hole. Everything there was in an unfinished condition. I stayed at the National Hotel over night, but could not find John. I suppose that you would like to know what I think of soldiering. It has agreed with me first rate so far, and I like it, all but the rations, which I disgust as much as Artemas Ward did NE Rum. We have plenty to eat, and the quality is good but we lack some few things that would make a vast difference with it. Butter & milk I notice the absence of. Cranberries / I did not expect here and do not have. I can sleep anywhere and sounder than ever before. I have tried it on the ground and on the floor, on the open deck, and in the cabin, and out in the woods on the bare ground with nothing but an over coat over me, and I felt as well in the morning as if I had just got of 64 City Hotel. Our young men that came out of stores, and from places where they had been confined in dens, stand our life better than strong men from farms & forges. We have plenty of excitement here, we have been routed in the night twice to get under arms for an attack from the rebels, and once I was out in command, the Captain being sick, to support a battery, we were out over night, and had an attack been made, our company would have had a taste first. I felt just bully that night, and would have liked a scrimmage with them. There are about 12,000 troops here, and the rebels had 9000 within 15 miles of us last week. Our pickets had a skirmish yesterday and killed two rebels. I suppose that we shall have a fight here very soon. When that time comes, I propose to do my duty. Charley Marston is at the hospital at Craney Island he was sent away from here, when we expected to be cleaned out by the rebels. He is not very ill.

 

[overwritten]

 

Please give my regards to all enquiring about me and write me soon as I have not had a letter from any one since I left Lowell.

                                                                       

Truly Your friend

Selwyn E Bickford

 

direct Lieut. S.E.B.

Co. G

6^th Mass. Regt.

Suffolk, Va.

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