Camp 13^th N.H. Vol^s

Chaffins Farm V^a

Feb 24^th  65

 

Dear Ari:

                        I received your letters of the 15^th and 20^th to day so you see that my letters all come at once.

 

we are all excitement here to day, so much so that I can^t write worth one cent. we are going to fire a National salute here in a few minutes in honor of the capture of Wilmington and if the Johnneys open on us I shall have to lay my writing aside. so you see it is not a very plesant place to write 

 

We have just had orders to march at a moments notice and in less then ten minutes it was countermanded, so it keeps a fellow in a hubbub all the time. we have had the master time here for two or three days over the fall of those places down South that ever you see. "there Ari thay have began to fire, so I will quit it."

 

            Every-thing is quiet again. Deserters come into our lines like hot cakes now days. last night there was a Capt. and 30 men come in at once. I tell you Ari thay have funny works over in Rebeldom now days. 

 

Poor Childe Ari, then you think that I cant cheat you because I told you that we should have to go to Concord to leave our guns. I did^nt try to cheat you Ari Oh no. I said if the Reg^t come home we should have to go there to leave our guns. we have no place to leave them here. remember last year only a part of the Reg^t went home, so we left our guns with the rest. if we should go home as a Reg^t there would be an order come for us to report at Concord N.H. then we should be furloughed from there understand. You wanted to know what kind of a place we were in, if we were getting ready to go into a Battle. Ari we are all ready and have been all winter. we are liable to have a fight here any day, that is what I ment by getting out of this scrape. would you feel like makeing a bonnett if you were in a place / where you were liable to be shot at any time. I dont believe you would. but we shant fight here unless the Johnneys makes the attack, then says I come on John. if thay dont have something go through their bowells quicker then a dose of salts, Ill miss my guess, "how is that." Oh Ari about going home I dont think that we shall come home for thay have sent us out some votes so that we can vote in the field for Congress men, but never mind Ari. if I dont come home now, it dont discourage me one bit, and now dont you feel bad, will you, "hay?" I find that the best way is to look for better times and not get down hearted. I think that is the cause of a great many being sick in the Army, by getting to be home sick /

                                                                                               

Second Dispatch

Evening

                        All quiet at the front. my tobacco has not come nor it wont come now I guess. well let it go cant help it. I am ever so much obliged for that dollar Green Back. I can get my shirt boiled now. Oh Ari I got some tobacco the other day and how do you suppose I got it? I will tell you. there is a Lieut in one of the Colord Regt that I am acquainted with and he was up to see me last Sunday and he asked me how I got along for tobacco and I told him even that is we had^nt any, and he said if I would come over he would give me some. so I did, and he gave me five dollars worth but I devided it equal with the boys in the Co. I tell you, the boys were well pleased. thay formed a line and gave three cheers for the Lieut (and and) 

 

say please dont back any more envelopes that you send to me for I have got a lot of them and if thay were not backed I could swap for larger ones, dont ye know. about that letter dated Jan 5^th it was a gramatical eror, I cant spell it. I got a letter from Abbott the other day. he writes first-rate letters. I have answered it. oh yes.

 

                        About who backed that letter so fancy it was the same one that made that flagg on the other sheet of paper. F. R. Johnson Co "K" 13^th N.H. Vols. cut that off and give it to Elmer if you wish. "if you could see some of his writeing." that was some that he done in a hurry.

 

How is that Little Rogue of an Elmer. I should just like to see him. I would make a soldier / of him in a short time now, for we are haveing schools twice a week and we have to study every chance we can get. so I have hardly any time to write and when I do get a chance I have to hurry so that I dont half write, or rather I dont write half as well as I can if I had more time. it is tattoo now and I must close for to night. my regards to all the folks.                                                                                                          

 

Good night.

 

oh did you get any verses that I sent you. I wish you would tell me if have a mind to.

 

Except the love and best wishes of your Husband in the Army of the James. Good night.

 

Serg^t S. B. Tarlton

Co "K" 13^th N.H. Vol^s

SOURCES