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Camp Foster November 10th 1861 Dear Dear Parents I have written once before but got no answer yet. we have just returned from picket and we had a very hard time of it. it rained for 2 days and 2 nights and it raised the river 25 feet overflowing the banks. we had to leave the bank of the river and went on to the toe path of the canall. we had not been there more than a few hours when we had to leave and cross the canall and go on to the hightest part of the bank on the other side. we staid there for the night spreading our blankets on the wet ground. we laid down but did not sleep much for it was still raining and we were wet to the scin. the next morning we built fires and dried our clothes and blankets. there was a great many of our boys got cold from it, but I am as well as ever. our Colonell is now in Massechusets and Bartholomew is gone home. there has been 4 of the wounded men belong to our regiment died in the hospitall since the battle. Dear mother I have had my picture taken and will send it home the first chance I get. Dear father I received a letter from Cornelius the day before yesterday stating that you had traded with Col. DeWitt. I am sorry that you traded fanny off for I expected to have a pleasent ride on her when I went home, but I think you got a pretty good price for her and I suppose it was as well to let her go. we have not been paid yet but we expect it soon. there will be 26 dollars coming to us and I think that I will be able to send 20 dollars of it home. James Mahoney is sick with a bad cold. I think he catched cold when he swam the river after the battle. he is not down sick. he is able to go around. Dear Mother I hope that you have bought something for the last money I sent home and if that was not enough I hope that I will be able to send some more in a few days. when you write I would like to have you tell me what you bought for I am afraid that you did not buy anything you need not save the money for me. I did not send it home for that purpose. when I send money home I want you to use it for whatever purpose you want it. I only wish that I could send more. we dont have much time to loaf more. the days are getting very short and we have to drill the same number of hours. we get up at sunrise and wash and clean up our quarters. then we have to drill from 7 to 8 oclock with our napsacks on. then we come in and get our breakfast. we go out again at 10 oclock and drill to 11 1/2 oclock. we have dinner at 12 1/2 oclock. we go out to drill at 1 1/2 oclock in the afternoon and come in at 2 1/2 oclock. we go out to Batalion drill at 3 oclock and come in at 4 1/2 oclock. then we have to go out on dress parade and when we get in it is about dark. so you see we dont hve much time to loaf. write as soon as you get this. dont forget give my love to my brothers and sisters. no more at present from your son |