Camp 13^th N. H. Vols.

Chaffins Farm, V^a

Feb 10^th 1864

 

Dear Ari,

                        I received your last letter of the 5^th to day and will try to answer it and also a newspaper with a very nice little silk handkerchief in it. it was just the thing, only you need^nt bought a silk one, what did it cost. but what I looked for the most did not come the Tobacco (there, the band is playing and I cant write). no Ari the tobacco has not come yet. when did you send it and how did you do it up. I dont hardly think it will come but I got the dollar in the letter so I went and bought me some tobacco, and paid 25 cts for haveing my clothes washed, so I have got 50 cts left, how is that. 

 

Yes Ari: I have had what you call the camp itch, but we call it the ground itch. we catch it by laying on the ground so much, so says the Surgeon.

            Ah. Ari, dont you lay any plans about my coming home for it dont look so much like it as it did. but you see, if the Reg^t comes home we shall have to go to Concord to leave our guns and equipments, then go home from there "understand" but we hear that the Republicas are split in the first Congressional District. some of them dont like Gen Marston. if you want him elected, send for the soldiers. he has led us into Battle this summer. he has led me I mean I mean me, I my-self. all that I can say against him is he is a mighty good Soldier, and a General also, shugar I cant talk Pallysticks, I dont know wether we shall get home at Election or not. sometimes I think we shall, then again it looks blue. /

 

Ari: I have never said any-thing about Gen. Buttler, but now I am going to say some-thing. I am auful sorry that we have lost him for our commander. the blood of his soldiers dont stane his garments. he looked out for the enlisted men, and let the Officers take care of them-selves. to be shure he is not so good a Gen. to handle an army as some others, but I tell you there is not a Gen. in the U.S. service that can do and has done so much towards putting down this rebellion as Major General B. F. Buttler, "that's so" by jolly. how the boys would cheer if the "old cock eye" would come out here and see us. I think he is a bully old fellow, but for a fighting Gen. give me Baldy Smith, he is the man.

 

            Feb. 11^th Good morning Ari. I would like to have some of your good breakfast this morning. I think that I could do justice to it. we dont get a very / large quantity of rations since Gen. Buttler has left us. we never have been so short since I have been in the service "that is when we are in camp" as we are now. so you see that Gen Buttler looked after his boys in that respect. well I think that I have wrote enough about Gen. Buttler. oh: you must not expect many letters from me this week for we are going to have some inspections and I want to be there. Every-thing is quiet here now, but I expect every day when there will be a fuss kicked up. I am going to wait for the mail before I finish this, to see if my tobacco dont come. I hope it will, for I want some good tobacco. you must not look for a ring untill we get out of this place for I cant get time to make one. S.B.T.

SOURCES