Fort Harrison, V^a.

Oct 23^rd /64

 

Dear Ari

                        I recived your letter of the 17^th in due time and will try to answer it. every-thing remains quiet here except nights. the rebel pickets will fire on their deserters, and that will call us to arms, so it makes it quite lively here for a little while, when they fire. thay dont intend to hit any one, for the balls go away over the topps of the trees. I was on picket last night and there was lots of them come in, all oweing to my being on picket I guess (lots or no lots) there was 40 come in in one squad. the rebs fired a shell at them, there was so many / it was at sunset that the 40 come in. some say there was more then that, but I dont know how it was. at 9 oclock in the evening there was 4 come in on my post and the rebs fired 10 shots but not at them. I tell you it made me jump. you see when we are on picket, we put one man out in front of us about 30 yds, so thay cant come on us so sudden, if thay come at all. he is called a vidett. well you see, this vidett come in pell mell. I had as much as I could do to stop him. I had to threten to shoot him before he would stop. I told him it was nothing but deserters coming, not to be frightened. he says I I I thought the Devile was comming shure. after I / got him all right I told him to stop there and I would go out and see what was up, so I went out slowley a little way. then I chalanged (who comes there) Deserters, by Jasus, was the answer that come from an Irish man. (I couldnt help laughing). I asked if thay were armed and thay said, no sir. then I told them to come one at a time, so I got four. you never saw any-one so pleased as thay were one was a boy about 15 years old. he come to me and said Sergt. if you see any-body comming in by and by dont shoot him, for my Father is comming in if he can get away. (poor boy, I thought to my-self.) I promised him faithful that I, nor any of the men wouldnt shoot his Father how / his eyes sparkled when he found that we wouldnt shoot his Father, but his Father never come while I was on picket. I think he must have come in to day, for there has been quite a number come in since I commenced to write. one was a rebel Chaplin, dont you think that it is time for them to give up fighting when their Chaplins begin to desert. (hay) What do you suppose I had for a seat when I was on picket I will tell you, it was a 100 pound shell. it was throwed at us from a rebel gun-boat when we took the Fort, but did not explode. there the Band has begun to play. I cant write any now.

 

            I went out to hear the band play and I found that thay were playing for religious services at one of the N.Y. Regt^s so I stoped and heard the Minister preach. it was first-rate. it was something to me. /

 

Dont laugh at my first sheet, for it seems to be my delight to be talking about Military all of the time, although I am not a very good soldier. I dont suppose it will interest you, but I will change the subject. You say that you are lone-some and homesick some-times, and what a long time it will be before I get home let me ask you to keep up good courage for when you feel down harted to think of me, think how you would feel to be marching up to the mouths of a battery of Artillery. but I have got on war again. dont think that eleven months is long Ari just think that I have been out here 25 months and only 11 to / stop. is it like what the paddy said 10 into 11 will go once, and one over, but 11 into 10 will go nary once and nary one left, but you must not think that there wont be one left after 11 months, for I have all confidence that I shall go home again all safe and sound. if I thought that I never was going home again I should not feel so well as I do now.

 

(After supper) what do you suppose Winn and me had for supper. we havnt had any-thing good since we was paid of, so tonight he says let us have a D—mn good supper, so you see, I went on a raid to see what I could get. I was gone perhaps fifteen minutes, and come back with a can of Lobster and some cucumber pickels and cookeys butter & cheese, and a plenty / of Grants pies (hard tack) and I tell you we had quite a feast. it costs so much that we cant afford but one good meal between pay days. About the 24^th Mass. Regt. it is in the 10^th Corps so some of the boys say. I never have seen the Regt that I know of, but thay tell me that it is in the 1^st Division of the 10^th Corps and that is about two miles from us. if the Lady is very particular to know where the Regt is let me know and I will go over to the 10^th Corps and find out for her. tell the Lady that a soldier is always ready and willing to accomadate the Ladys, especialy when thay havent had a furlough for almost a year. You seem to think then that Elmer / is a spoilt childe if he stays with his Grany another year. I guess he will do well enough another year. I can straighten him out when I get home. have patience Ari a little while longer, dont go to getting mad. I should laugh to hear that you got mad. Oh! Ari: I got a letter from Emmons Philbrick yesterday. he wants to know about David Locke, how he got killed and so forth. he tells me that Simon Knowles is dead and Mrs Rumney also, so it seems that there is death at home as well as in the Army. well I must close. Give my love to Elmer and tell him to be a good boy when he goes to Church and papa will be at home pretty soon. Ari I would like to see you, how I would pull your ears for you (hay) all of my love to you and Elmer and my regards to all the rest of the folks.

 

Good night, From Your Affectionate

            Husband, Serg^t S. B.Tarlton.

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