Stephen B. Tarlton to Arianna E. Tarlton, 15 November 1863
Camp Gillmore
Near Portsmouth Va
Nov 15th 1863
 
Dear Ari:
                        I now seat myself down in my own house to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hearty. I will tell you about my house. you see that four of our Sergts built them a house 10 by 14 ft and after thay got it most finished our first Sergt was detached to enlist Union men here in Va. thay are getting up a Regt of Loyal Virginians and you see after he went away it left only three Sergts in the house. it so happened that I over heard them talking about who thay should take in with them. thay all seamed to pitch upon Corpl. Tarlton. I said nofing. / and the next morning thay asked me if I would like to go in with them. of course I said yes. it made the other Corpls eyes stick out to see me go in with the Sergts we have bully times here I tell you. Oh Robert Foss of Rye has been home on a furlough. he brought me a presant from Mrs Nathan Clough of a pair of mittens and when Mr Clough come back he brought me a pair of stockings thay were nice ones to. if you see her tell her that I am very much obliged for them. thay think more of my well fair than some of my folks / I reckon. right smart gett.
 
well there is a great many Copperheads in little River I reckon. Oh we dedicated our new house last night. dont you see I went up to the Commissary to get the whiskey rations for the boys and you see I delt it out to. and I diped light so we could have some left to dedicate our house with. so you see I had that pickle bottle that you sent me full of whiskey left. I shoves it under the bed. the Sergts new nothing about it you see so just befor tattoo I says who is going to wett the new house. well thay / kinder concluded that it belonged to me as thay had built the house. you see thay supposed that I could not get anything to drink as it is not aloud to be sold here but you see I got under the bed. says I who put this bottle under here and shoves it out. well well says thay you will do. you plaid that pretty well on the boys. we didnt have much of a time O no I guess we didnt in a horn. well I must close. how is Elmer tell him to be a good boy and keep his shoes tied up. write often
           
good day S. B. Tarlton
 
[upside down margin]
 
cotton growes here
10391
DATABASE CONTENT
(10391)DL1605.033153Letters1863-11-15

Tags: Alcohol, Camp/Lodging, Clothing, Copperheads, Enlistment, Furloughs, Home, Southern Unionism

People - Records: 2

  • (3685) [writer] ~ Tarlton, Stephen B.
  • (3686) [recipient] ~ Tarlton, Arianna E. ~ Smith, Arianna E.

Places - Records: 1

  • (228) [origination] ~ Portsmouth, Virginia

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SOURCES

Stephen B. Tarlton to Arianna E. Tarlton, 15 November 1863, DL1605.033, Nau Collection