87 Regt NYV

                                                                                                            May 2^nd 1862

 

            Dear Brother James

                                                I now take the opportunity to answer the last letter that I received from you, and that was this evening, dated Aprill 27^th/62 witch I was very happy to receive from one that we like to hear from. you are now very busy now so I we hear from the letters that we have received from your part of the world, but the most I can tell you and the best, and weo is that we are all well at presant and hope that wen you get this note, it will find you the same, and we ought to be thankfull for that great blessing, to have that to say that we are all in good health. /

 

                                                                                                                        April 5^th/62

you must excuse me for not finishing this note on the 2^nd for it was dark wen I commenced it and then I thought that I would finish it in the morning but before morning came (before day light) we was called up and then we had our breakfast about 2 oclock and then we was all drawn up in line before 3. all equipt ready fore most any thing but we did not know were we was agoing. but we had not gone far before we found out that we was a going on picket, and I think that we will not be required to go on picket again on this side of yorktown, as it is now in the hands of the Union troops, and we have got it rather to easy I think, but I suppose that they thought that they / had better get out of the way before we went to work at them for if we had of went at them we would of soon put them out of the way, and they would not get back very soon, but as it is, it may before the best, and I think that it will turn out so. I expect that less than 24 hours from now, we will be on the road after in pursuit of the run a way enemy, but I must not take up to mutch rome in talking of the rebles, so I must commence, to tell you about one of our men who was rather sickly and a little frightened wen we were called up in the night, so one night wen we was called he went out with a hatchet and cut his fore finger of on his right hand, and then he was taken to the hospital and last night he died / and this morning I went out and helped dig his grave. he is to be buried this after noon, but I must hasten my note to a close, but I will tell you that the paymaster has visited us and gave us too months pay, witch, we will send the greatest portion of it to you. but I can tell you that we are all well as I told you in the beginning, so you must rite soon as you can. no more at presant so I close with a cheerfull Good By

 

                                                                                    From Your ever true

                                                                                    and Affectionate

                                                                                    Brother Wilson

                                                                                                To

                                                                                    James W Sproul.

 

                                                Direct Your letters to

                                                Co C 87 Reg^t N.Y.V.

                                                Hamiltons Division

                                                Heintzlemans Corps

                                                            Washington D.C.

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