Albert O. Hollis to Hannah A. Hollis, 3 March 1863
Morehead. NC. March.3.d 1863
Dear Sister
I received your letter last friady and I have been trying right smart to answer it, and I reckon ille make out now. I have to write by jerks here. I cant more than get my pencil in hand before I am detailed to go after wood rations or nigers. It is very pleasant and warm here to day. splendid eveings, but rather lonesome, to stand under a pitch pine all night, and here frogs peep. there is not much going on here now everything seems to be quiet. lieut. jordans wife came here last week. they board at the hotel. sanborn spends his evenings with a right smart looking young gal named Slate. there was a meeting here Sunday, and the citizens turned out en masse and such style of dressing I never saw before. cape bonets about the size of an A tent. hats like the turret on the montauck. shirt collars like the breast works round kinston. the men are about the shape of god a girl once asked me if I had my thing with me. god I told her I always had it with me. there are some 8 or 10 young girls two childs cry from here, a place called carolina city, but the capt. wont let us go up there now. I was talking with a woman that lives the next door to us. the other morning when a man came along named davis, she asked him how his wife was. O, she had a right smart time of it last night. I reckon shes right powerfull weak this morning. I left. I should think you had some mighty good times at the sons of temperance now. I noticed that they take their whiskey rations when they can get them. would join the rebel army quicker than I would the sons of temperance. now blow. dont you be so sure of me or any of the rest of the boys comeing back again. fine country here. black and white niggers. pitch pine trees and sand. I may enlist again when my time is out. I like it so well they need not talk about forcing the nine month men to stay 18. we aint forgot how to stack arms yet. I took sick the other morning after eating some flip but am right smart now. sand fleas plenty. feet and legs all raw. have to sleep with my boots on to keep from scratching. a navy officer gave our captain a flag the other day. we made a staff, and the company was drawn up in line, and the stars and stripes went up at the rool of the drum. we gave nine hearty cheers ending with the word tigar witch the boys opened their mouths a little wider on. the folks were looking out of the winds. until they saw what was going to be done. then not a head was to be seen. we have as much fun with shoeball as ever. we have told him what his mary is doing. but he dont say much. abboot is about the same as ever. I bleive it is about time to stop this nonsence.
So good bye Adaline.
Albert O Hollis
2867
DATABASE CONTENT
(2867) | DL0587.003 | 49 | Letters | 1863-03-03 |
Letter From Private Albert O. Hollis, 43rd Massachusetts Infantry, Morehead City, New Bern, North Carolina, March 3, 1863, to His Sister Adaline
Tags: African Americans, Alcohol, Food, Illnesses, Loneliness, Mail, Nature, Racism, Weather
People - Records: 2
- (1224) [writer] ~ Hollis, Albert O.
- (1225) [recipient] ~ Hollis, Hannah Adeline ~ Holbrook, Hannah Adeline
Places - Records: 2
- (312) [origination] ~ Morehead City, Carteret County, North Carolina
- (1083) [destination] ~ Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
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SOURCES
Albert O. Hollis to Hannah A. Hollis, 3 March 1863, DL0587.003, Nau Collection