Camp Harrison's Landing Va.

July 27^th 1862.

 

My Friend Lizzie,

I received your good long letter yesterday evening and I was pleased very much for this is a place where we know nothing from that part of the world except by letter. I did not expect you would get the letter I wrote being so long coming I supposed you had not got it and the letter by "Paul" did not say any thing about it, and I begin to think of course you had not recd. it. and if you get the other ones I have written, the people their will think you & I are corresponding very often, but if you dont want me to write you will have to quit your self, for I am bound to write the last, and every letter I get I will answer as promptly as possible. I want you to do with every body just as you did with Lieut Paul. be sure to write whenever you know that any one is comeing here, whether you owe me one or not, consider you owe me one whenever you have a chance to send one, for I am always glad to hear from you

 

This is the sabath, and a short distance from here is our preacher expounding the gospel to those who will listen / but you know that there is nothing so sweet as good music especially in such a place as this, and as we have nothing of the kind it does me no good therefore I do not go I listened last sabath to his address this Regt. and it was very good but to day I thought you would be at church, and I would write, and perhaps that would do for both of us. Nothing is doing about hear. we are lying in camp getting so lazy that most of the men will be of no use when they get home if they are not moved soon. I am glad to hear of the young men making preparation to move out and help. if they move quick, and make all come togather this war will soon be over. then we all can be home living and enjoying our selves, which I hope may be soon. but in very many cases we can blame no one but the women, for they would say, now if you go to war I will die in less than a month, and when a man has a very tender heart, of course he will say, I wont go if you dont want me to. I think that is oftener the case than any other. now if I had a lady friend who would do such as that I would have no more to do with her. I know of many such cases, but I am in hopes all see the necessity and will turn out. but this subject I will stop and go at something else that is of more importance to me at present 

 

            You speak of my mother not wanting me to go to see you. I have been thinking about the matter and have come to the conclusion that I know all about how you found it out, not knowing you knew anything the matter (if I surmise right) before I left but in order to prove to you the matter I will have to tell some circumstances. On several occasions I have been thrown in company with men & women where my mother was. Some would say, I dont see why you & Lizzie dont get married. I would tell them I was going too some day, or I would say you would not have me, or some expression that would have to keep me from getting plagued. then some one would ask Mother how she would like you, she would say she did not want me to marry any one, and the whole of that originated from something of that kind. but when I have been talking to her and your name would happen to be brought up she always spoke of you in the highest termes. She always was afraid we would be married, and nothing would have made her so angry as for me to have got married. it would not make any difference who it was, you or any one else it would be the same. She never had any objection to me going to your house or with you as often as I wished to, but she was afraid I would get married, but I am not going to get married until I come home. / I dont want you to think but she is as good a friend as you have. you know all about who has said any thing to you about it and so do I.

                                                                                               

Well, you ask me about the business, and why I did not tell you, I have no objection to telling you all about it but I thought you would laugh, for I did not think you would be interested in my business, but from the way you spoke I suppose you have heard the most of what has happened but to make the matter more plain I will tell you some things that might surprise you, but you must never say any thing about this for some would think it strange that I should tell you and not others, but I will trust you. I spoke of resigning some time ago, and the reason was because I could not get along with the capt he is of no account, for he makes more trouble among the boys than any in the Regt I told him I had to protect them and he must keep himself straighter or there would be trouble he thinking he had a right to do as he pleased, and I thought he had better pleas the boys and me some. and it has kept up a fuss for some time with he and I, but he has found out that I will put him through if he dont do better. he has resolved not to let me know of any thing he does that is not, such as getting drunk &c &c dont say a word about 

 

            The boys all think as much of me as they can and they dont want me to go away. I dont know as I will soon but may at any time for it is my place to take command of another Company and I may be ordered tomorrow. I am sure of a Capt's commission but whether it will be given to me for some time or not is more than I can tell

 

            Wils Pinkerton is 1^st Lieut of Co A. 62^d Ohio J. C. Morrison is Orderly Sergeant &c &c there are promotions in Co I. to about the same effect P B Johnson is 1^st Lieut in Co F. but he had / better be at home for he is as little thought of as any in the Regt.

 

            The reason I have never said any thing about my promotion or any one else is because it was never confirmed and I dont like to report any thing that is not the fact. I should have never told you of my going into another Co until it was done if you had not heard of it before if any one sais I am a Captain you can tell them not yet I have been very sick for two days I could scarcely sit up. I made every effort to obtain a furlough but I guess I have failed. I am not well yet but am much better. Oh! I did want to get home once more. I dont know what / I should have given to have been home while I was so bad, but no go. I have a notion to make complaint to the D^r and see yet if I cant get a furlough soon for it would do me more good to get home more than ever before. not that I am home-sick but I think if I dont get home I may never have as good health again I dont think I will weigh over 130 pounds now and some time ago I was up to 170 lbs but I will stand it as long as I can, and then if I dont get better I will quit the biz

 

            I should like to see that friend of yours from Pennsylvania and see if he is the right kind of a fellow

                                                                                                                       

I did not think you would think that / I meant any thing by saying you were neglecting me for I have more confidence in you than to think you neglect me, for I think you would do just as you said the last time I seen you, do you remember? did you and I not talk in earnest, did I not if you did was not in earnest I was and I am the same as when I last seen you. I am a long way from home, and have been away a long time and perhaps it will be longer than the time I have been before I get back but I am still "unaltered" the surroundings here are not like they are at home, no one to think about except those who are far from us and sometimes we cant even think of them, but time, distance or any thing that has happened has left me still the same to you. I often think of the pleasant times we have had togather the trouble you have had with me but I dont think you have done yourself any injustice. I would not have you do any thing in the world that I would think would make your self unhappy I am glad whenever I hear of you enjoying yourself. I always want you to and I know if I should happen to get home then you might enjoy yourself for some time at least. dont think I doubt your friendship for a moment, nor will I until I know you have deceived me, then some thing else. I must close. give my love to Mollie M^cGaw. and dont fail to write soon, and direct to

 

Ferry's Brigade Peck's Division, Army of the Potomac and be sure to write the 62^d Ohio for that is important. Your nigger Frank

 

[inner side margin]

 

 

[front top margin upside down]

 

            I dont want you to tell me to excuse you for asking questions, for I am pleased to answer any you ask and you may write just what you please, for any thing is read with the greatest of pleasure and any thing you want to know, I will tell as best I can, and if the answer dont please you ask again and if I am allowed to tell I will do so with the greatest of pleasure. I would rather tell you, than to write it to you but I cant, and that is the end of that. but I pray to God I may meet you some day then I will tell you just what I want to. dont fail to write as soon as possible I am your friend and always will be. dont laugh at this for if you cant read this just send it back Frank

SOURCES