Richard J. Britton to Ann E. Britton, 1 October 1861
Camp Craney Island, Va. .
Oct 1st,1861
My Dear Sister
Your highly prized let
ter of the 23rd came to hand on last evening
and I assure you that it were carefully
perused and I hope the good advice it contain
ed may prove to be a benefit to me, for wh
ilst I do not profes to be a Christian I often
think of the great goodness of my maker
and try to get my mind to bear on that sub
ject. I know that I am a sinner and I have
tried to pray but whether I have or not I
am unable to say. Often when I am wal
king my post at night I think of my
god and his great protection over us all.
Then I think of my friends and wonder
to myself if they are ever as well off
as myself as to the comforts of this
life. I live in hopes that they are, although
I am satisfied the scarcity of some things
and the very high price that they are
selling for will place them out of
the reach of many poor persons, and
many articles I fear will not be got for
any price, but I hope that all who may
be so fortunate as to see this war at an
end may be better off than they were
it commenced, but human beings
are not disposed to be satisfied under any cir
cumstances when they are doing well they
do not know it. there are many here who
talk about seeing hard times and want to
go somewhere else. but in my humble judgment
they are seeing a good time to what some of our
fellow soldiers are seeing. I wrote to you
that I could think that all was well off as we
are here if I can always do as well as I am
doing now I will not complain much, I do
confes that I would like to see my friends
and acquaintances very much but that is
out of my power unles they come and
see me They allow four to go home each
week from a company but we have nearly
a hundred men and it will take a good while
for them to get around, and then sometimes
men that have sick families go home and
stay two weeksand that keeps others from
going There are some men here that would
do anything except what was right. We have
not had any preaching here for some time
and I believe it is because there are so little
interest taken on the part of the soldiers
There are all sorts of sport going onsuch as
playing cards drinking whiskey and so on
Sometimes there are as many as thirty five in
the gard houseat one time, but Iam happy
to say that only one of our company has
been in the gard house, and he is as good a
fellow as can be found if you take drink
away he was taken out next morning by
the Capt. The two Gravens joined us about
a week ago. Maitland joined last Monday. He
went back home and stayed about a week
Then came down and joined. there are many
that cannot ge along as myself they are
not used to the hardship. put them to cooling
and washing and they are ruined but I
can do both very well. it is true I don,t
do much cooking because on of my mess
has a servant and we prefer to pay a
dollar a month to cooking ourselves, but
when he goes home I take a hand myself.
I generally do my own washing which is
very light work but blistered my fingers
the first timeor two but I can get on pretty
well now. We are getting very well fotified here.
now we have some forty cannon we have
one rifle cannonjust mounted to today
and expect others soon they are the most pow
erful gun that we make. they will do good
execution four or five miles. this leaves me
very well and I hope this may find you all
enjoying the same blessing two of my company
are sick with the measles but they are well car
ed for and will soon be out I think give my
love to all of the family receiving a portion
to yourself. give my respects to all inquiring friends.
As ever I remain your devoted brother
R. J. Britton
DATABASE CONTENT
| (844) | DL0100.001 | 1 | Letters | 1861-10-01 |
Letter from Private Richard J. Britton, 9th Virginia Infantry, Camp Craney Island, Virginia, October 1, 1861, to his sister, Miss Ann E. Britton, Chesterfield County, Virginia
Tags: Alcohol, Cards/Gambling, Homesickness, Illnesses, Religion
People - Records: 2
Places - Records: 1
- (47) [origination] ~ Craney Island, Virginia
SOURCES
Richard J. Britton to Ann E. Britton, 1 October 1861, DL0100.001, Nau Collection.
