Cumberland Landing 87^th Regt N.Y.S.V.

                                                                                                            May 16^th 1862

 

Dear Brother James

                                    In the catalogue of human suffering you will find that anxiety occupies a very conspicuous place and the anticipation of some calamity is equal too if not worse than the reality. And I have no doubt but that this has been a portion of your experience at home, in not hearing from us oftener. But the fact has been that since we have left Yorktown everything has been employed to carry us forward nothing has been allowed to go back, the roads have been a proper stream all the time so that it would have been quite impossible for anything in the shape of horseflesh to have traveled the other way. we have written letters and torn them up again because we could not send them. I sent per Lieut. Cloyd on the 12^th inst. (who very suddenly returned home) a letter addressed to you, containing a letter written by wilson to yourself, and a small note I happened to have in my pocket written with the intention of sending home just before we left Yorktown but could not and sixty dollars in money, twenty five for my friend Louis Colson fifteen for Wilson and twenty for myself. Lieut Cloyd would not have gone home if he were not really compelled to. Our Colonel took grounds against him, and of course threw him out. I like him very much. He promised to go and see you. Capt Rugles returned to Brooklyn some time since he promised to go and see you. he owes me ten dollars I wish you could collect if you ever see him. We have now the 1^st Lieut of Co F for our Captain. he is liked pretty well I do not yet know who will be our Lieut. I presume you have heard of our experience at Williamsburgh through the newspapers at any rate any reports that I have seen have not exagerated it in the least. We did not get on the field of blood shed until 4 PM Monday afternoon we / remained over night listening and administering to the groans of the wounded and dying at the same time doing Picket duty. We had a pretty tough time of it especially in the fore part of the night we were wet through with the drenching rain. Those that were foremost in the fight say that our coming turned the fortunes of the day in our favor. Anyone in the distance supposed it five regiments instead of one, judging from the noise we made as we neared the scene of action. early tuesday morning we were the first to march on the town Williamsburgh and take posession of the town. we rested in Williamsburgh for a few days and have been on the march since. some days we manage to go about two or three miles and other days we go about fifteen. It is much more tiresome than you would suppose to march with such large body of men. sometimes we have to go so slow that you can hardly see us move, which is very tedious and then again we have to go almost on a run in order to keep up, which altogether makes it quite fatigueing Yesterday we came through Slotersville and New Kent Court House, and arrived to our present encamping ground which is a splendid position just beside the river and within few rods of Cumberland landing. When we are on the march we cannot get anything like enough to eat, owing mostly to the impossibility of transportation. And when we get anywhere where there is anything dainty, price is no object. those fortunate enough to have any thing in the eatable line can get any price they choose to set. I will give you a sample of a few things molasses and ginger cakes from 35 to 40^c per 3 oz. Butter 50^c per pd. Chies from 50^c to 75^c pr pd. [?] per can eggs 50c per doz. sugar 30c pr pd. cider 30c pr Qt. &c &c and sometimes they go by and there those sixpenny pies you buy in N.Y. sell for 25c and sometimes for 37^c

 

Why didn’t you have your thoughts about you, and had a boat load of goods down here just about now you would have made a fortune out of it ten thousand dollars worth of goods would last you about an hour where I now sit I can raise my eye and look upon about fourty thousand men. I must close My love to all. Do not borrow trouble if it should be some time before you should hear from us again.      Your Affectionate Brother

                                                                                                            Jonathan Sproul

 

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I hope you are getting along finely in your business

 

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Wilson is well today I received a letter from Sarah dated May 11^th

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