Headquarters 30 Regt. N.J.

Camp Somerset

Near Fort Baker Nov. 6^th/62

           

Kind Friend

                                    I received your most welcome letter last night a thing that I have been long looking fore and have at last received. I just came off of guard this morning and to day have nothing to do but lofe around so I thought I would sit down and write you and Fannie letter last night was a lovely night to be on the moon shown bright and the sky was clear. I thought of home and of you all very often as I pace my lovely but back and fore. nothing to think of but you all home fast a sleep in your warm beds while I must walk this lovely beat. nothing to guide my warry footsteps but the bright moon which shown so bright over my head it looks as natural to look back at home as though I where there my self. I can see you siting by your work and play on the melodian the sound seems to come back to my ear. a soldiers life is a hard life to live that sunday that the wind blew so and it stormed we got sokeing wet. our tents leaked and we had to sleep on the wet and damp ground. they are geting very strict with us now we have inspection every sunday morning we had a general inspection last friday / and we have to have every thing clear if do not they put us on barl for 24 hours or make you cary a log. our officers are making mustering role now so that can draw our pay. we are geting very scant of money now. the boys are very busy now building their winter quarters thire building them of logs. I think we can live very comfortable this winter in log huts we build them large enough to hold 10 men we are going to have fire in thire to so we can cook when we want to. I think it will be pretty cold here this winter on this high hill but I would reather stay where I am than to to be put in a Brigade and sent to fight I think we are better fixed for what we are doing than we would be to go in to a battle fore we have plenty to do here but we are formed in a engineer Brigade [?] sapers and miners. the duty of sapers and miners is to build forts and bridges and to make roads and fall timber we have just started to build a new fort a bout 2 miles from camp and we plenty of wood land to cut down yet and also a rode to dig to we have quite a good manny sick solders in the hospital now I have quite a heavy cold on my breast now but I feel very well Cap. Totten is sick he has got the consupton and will not be able to do much but he will stand by his boys till he dies he will stand by them fore ever we will if we / ever do get in to a battle we will trust him to bring us out safe he will never fore sake us nor will we ever forsake him. if all the Cap. were like Cap. Totten there never would be enny difficulty found through the whole Regt Cap. Totten is a man that is not afraid to associate with his boys he does not think himself to proud to look at his men like some Cap. we have on the ground. Cap. Totten has not had to speak cross word to enny of his men yet and that is more than some Captain can say Tut Strong is not much liked in our company enny more he likes to show off to much he likes to give commands to well to be liked. the boys will drill under him eny more. Col. Donalson is quite sick and in the Adg. Main. Col. Cladac has got command of the Regt now we like him very much we like to have him to drill us he talk so funny so dutchfide but he is far from being good man for he will sit on his horse and swear at officers if they dont mind what he says it is quite cold here to day. I think we going [?] have a cold storm. you ask me if I waned ennything. I woul like to have a pare of wolen stocking and 2 wite flanel shirts and a pare of mitens and please send me some postage stamps and I will be very much a blidge to you I must close now give my respects to all inquiring friends write soon /

 

Direct your letters to Washington D.C.

 

            I remain your friend truly

            Geo. E. Gulick

            30 Regt New Jersey Vols

                        Co. K.

                        Capt. B. S. Totten

 

P.S. Mr Beekman sends his respects to all the folks he says that they will not get him before his months is up give his respects to all the school children to. no more at present.

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