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Camp Winfield Scott Apl 20th 1862
Dear Mother
It is Sunday once more and a dark rainy day too, so I can get a little time
to rest while it is raining. We have been kept so bussy for the last week
or two that it seems real good to sit down a little while without being
disturbed with the call of fall in boys. I sent fifteen dollars to you last
Wednesday and hope you have got it all right. I wrote to you the eighth of
this month just after the fight and see by yours of the 13th that you had
not received mine up to that time. I hope you will get the money all right
for one dollar there is worth three here. I would have sent more but did
not know how long it would be before we would be paid again. I have to have
my tobacco and sometimes something to eat. Tobacco sells for ten shillings
per pound here and not verry good at that, common soda crackers cost two
cents a piece and everything else in propotion. I made some beef soup
yesterday that I think would beat any thing I ever saw at home. I tent with
Harrington and one of the Cheng Vally boys and do the cooking for our mess
I get up some big dishes now that we have got money but as soon as that
gets low it will not require much skill to cook what we get. We get fresh
beef two or three times a week the rest of the time pork and Pilot bread. I
have not seen any soft bread for over four weeks, some of the crackers are
marked B.C., the boys say that it means before Christ, but I don't hardly
believe that they were made as long ago as that We have not got our Sharps
rifles yet but expect to get them soon as Genl Porter has taken hold of the
matter. We are using Colts now there is part of our company that would not
take a colts rifle. Ed is among the number the opinion is that they would
not take any gun at all if they could get out of it. The news from
Pittsburgh landing is not verry encouraging here. I think it would be
impossible for them to surprise us here as they did down there Every man
here is inspected every day and if he has not got forty rounds of
ammunition it is given to him at once the papers state that some of them
down there were not supplied at all. There is going to be a terrible battle
here when it Comes and I think it will decide which will be boss, Uncle Sam
or Jeff. I can not think of much to write about for I see so much every day
that I can't remember half of what I have seen. I think Uncle Same is doing
a big thing for this Country down here building roads and bridges wharfs
etc. You said in your letter that you did not see anything in the paper
about Company 10. What men there is of our company that have got guns were
sure doing just as much as any other company in the regiment but none of
them hapened to get hurt, that was the reason you did not see them
mentioned. The Sharp Shooters have got a big name here and they have fairly
earned it. We do more duty than any other three regiments there is here.
You may think that I am saying too much but I have only told the truth.
Please write often and write just as long letters as you can the last one
was rather short. I will write to Cornelia as soon as I get time. I can not
do it now no how
Your aff Son
CJH
Historical Notes
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