Letter dated 24 April 1864, from Silas Doolittle, 75th New York State Volunteer Infantry
Camp Grant, Va. Apr 24th, 1864
Dear Mother,
I received Your letter last night & also one from Coleman & you can guess I had a rejoicing over them. Coleman is usually well & is in the same place. the weather is fine & to day is very warm. peach & Apple trees are in full Blossom.
I guess our Regt. will be Infantry if they can force us into it this week. but they cannot make me take a gun & they say the Buglers & Blacksmiths, Saddlers & Harriers will have to be Discharged.
I wrote Phebe Ann a letter yesterday. She will probably get it to Morrow night. it only takes 2 days for a letter to come & so we must keep writing. this is the 6th letter I have written home since I came away, & 2 to Coleman. I must write to Alice & to Hannah.
The $10 you sent me will come very good for tobacco & will do me till pay day, which I hope will be in the course of a Month.
Mother, how do you think it would do to buy a Cow & a pig or two, or would they be more trouble than they would be worth?
I think it would be best if You could do it without much trouble, to get most of the money changed into greenbacks even if you had to give a small Discount. perhaps Mr. Cook or Smith would do it for You.
how do you get along for wood? I suppose you have to split it. I should think you had better get a quantity of it at a time & then hire a man to split it. I am afraid you will make yourself sick working in the garden.
I am sitting here in my tent in my shirt sleeves & sweat all over. Jack Grant sets one side writing a letter & Clark Grant lies the other asleep. Jack says tell you he is as wet as a dish cloth & cant hardly write.
I have written all the news & guess I will close. give my love to Uncle Coleman & tell him I will write as soon as I can.
From Your Affectionate Son
Silas Doolittle
P.S. I am going to write to Phebe Ann or Sarah Monday or Tuesday.