1862

                                                                                                            Camp Butler Oct 26^th

 

Dear Wife

                        I wrote you aletter week before last and have received no answer. I intended to have written another yesterday but was too busy We were mustered into the united states service on Saturday last in order to get mustered in some of the companies had to borrow some men Fred Garret and myself were loaned to Capt Prescott and were mustered in with that company we have the word of your Father Capt Prescott and Colonel Niles that we shall come back to our own companies. Our regiment is not yet full there has been some of the men deserted and some of them died. There was two men died in the hospital of our regiment yesterday one of them was the captain of the artillery one of them belonged to our regiment there has been two deserted our company and one from Capt Colbys /

 

Those from our company were Barney Olmstead and the others name was Walls they left yesterday The company that Garret and me were mustered in with were the last to be mustered in they went out on the grounds in front of the barracks at one oclock and had to stand out there until six oclock we were sworn in after dark at the end of that time Capt Prescott gave the order to left face march and the men started for the barracks helter skelter the Colonel hollered out halt but he was to late he wanted to make aspeech the men were to cold to listen and left on double quick We have not got our over coats yet or our money we will doubtless draw our overcoats this week and likely our money I will send the most of my money to you as soon as I can get an opportunity I do not think it would be safe to send it by mail That election of officers that was talked of has all blown out saturday when / we were sworn in the mustering officer asked if we would take those men that were elected for our officers and told those that were in favor of the officers elected to hold up their hands there were twenty or thirty held up their hands he then told those that were opposed to the officers to hold up their hands Charley Johnson and two or three others held up their hands and that ended the new election John Floyd is still verry sick I sat up with him from one oclock friday morning until day he is verry low I think it is verry doubtful about his ever getting well Louis Nichols is sick this morning he has ahigh fever Charley Floyd come up here last night I will send that blanket that you sent me home as soon as I can draw one which will be in afew days I will send two pairs of drawers I drawed apair of woolen ones the other day and have three pairs of cotton ones I think that two pairs will be / be as many as I shall want. There is talk in camp of Wells Plant and Frank Morse paying the way of the soldiers home to get their notes if they do I shall be home in time for the election. Tell Ma that I am well and in good spirits and want to know how she is getting along When you answer this tell me how Eddy is getting along. kiss him for me. I have been on guard twice since I come back once to make up for the time I was away. I will try to write oftener than I have done so far if I can find anything worthy of notice I wish you would send me some letter stamps as we cannot get them in camp I am going to send you anice picture in afew days it is one with the names of our company and the regiment to which we belong it is about twelve by eighteen inches in size and costs two dollars it will be sent by express nothing more write soon

 

Your affectionate husband H. B. Drake                     M. E. Drake

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