Pratt's Point Va.

April 4^th 1863

 

Dear Brother,

                                    Your's of the 23^d inst is now before me, and I will immediately answer you. I will not take time to write you a very lengthy letter this time, for I am not in a very good humor for writing, the cause of which you will learn before you read all of this letter. I am happy to inform you that Henry & I are both in good health. Henry is out on picket, and will not come in until day after tomorrow. The pickets are relieved every three days. I will now tell you why I and the Company are so much out of humor / Captain Banta of Company B (now Major) arrived here yesterday, and he brought a commission for Frank New (a Hospital Steward and son of Surgeon New of this Regiment) as 2^nd Lieutenant in our Company (I). And for such a fellow as him to be commissioned in our Company will not only be a disgrace to our Company, but an insult to the whole Regiment. He never belonged to our Company, and therefore has no right to take the advantage of others. And more than that, he is'nt fit for a good private much less a commissioned officer. He deserted at one time and went home and remained there six months, and never / did any thing except to lay around the Hospital, get drunk &c &c We are a going to do our best to keep him out, but I fear we will be unsuccessful. It is generally believed (yet I hope it is not true) that he got his commission through the influence of Capt. Miller. If such is the case, we lift a warning voice against him when we get home, but I hope such is not the case.

 

We have plenty of men in this Company who are more competent, and who deserve the office, and for a mean, low-lifed, drunken fellow as him to take the advantage in that way, is more than this Company will bear. / But he has to be mustered in yet, and we are doing all in our power to keep him out. If he does get in, it will be dangerous for him to go into battle with us, for I believe that there are several men in this Company who will shoot him in prefference to a rebel.

 

Tell Mollie & America Jones that I rec^d a letter from each of them and will write in a few days. The weather is warm & windy. Talk of a move soon.

 

            Please write soon and give me all the news.

 

Ravencroft is trying for a furlough. I think he will get it.

 

Your Brother

W. H. Speer

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