Letter dated 11 December 1864, from Silas Doolittle, 75^th New York State Volunteer Infantry

 

                                                            Camp Russell, Va.

                                                                        Dec. 11^th, 1864

 

Dear Mother,

To day is Sunday. Not the quiet sabbath as it is at home, but a sabbath as it is in the army. In fancy, I can hear the church bells of Wolcott pealing forth their music, their notes of invitation to the people, summoning them to their respective places of worship—but here, how different. I can hear outside in the camps, the men building houses and shelters of some kind to protect themselves from the cold, and hauling wood and other like work, for winter is fairly upon us and finds some but poorly prepared, but thanks to our dilligence and persevereance we have at last got a good comfortable dwelling.

 

It began snowing night before last and snowed nearly all night, and in the morning the snow was between 5 and 6 inches deep—and to day it has thawed just enough to make it pack nicely.

 

I have written 4 letters home, and 2 to Coleman, and 1 to Alice within 2 weeks. I wrote 1 to Sarah the 9^th and one to her the 10^th, with $10.00 in each of them. I will send 10 in this.

 

Si Loveless expects to get a furlough in a few days to go home to see about settling up his fathers will. A person now has to have some very urgent buisness to call him home before he can get a furlough, and has to show the letter to his Commanding Officer, but I suppose they will give them out regular before long, and then I am going to try for one.

 

I dont know hardly what to do about re-enlisting in the Regular Service. I can get $1,000 down besides the bounty that is coming to me on my present term of enlistment, and two months furlough. The whole bounty would come to about $2,240. It is quite an amount, but 5 years to serve. I dont think I could make as much at any thing else. What do you think about it?

 

I will close now, but will write again soon and often

 

                                                                                    Your Loving Son

                                                                                                Silas Doolittle

                                                                                                Co “A” 75 N.Y.V.B.

                                                                                                1^st Brig 2d Div 19^th Corps

                                                                                                Washington, D.C.

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