1861 August 27 Canp of the fifth M[ain]e Regt

Respected parents and friends

I have just returned from the
outposts of our lines up where our company has been on picket
duty for 24 hours past we had a grand good time we were
posted about five miles from camp we were posted near a
house which has been deserted by the owner and we went to
the house and took up our head quarters there he was I should
think a very rich man he is a decendant of one of the first settlers
of the State he left behind a great deal of furnature of different
kinds and a very large library composed of all sorts of good
books beds and bedding and a great many things to numerous
to mention he was a doctor he left a large number medical
books and a great many bottles of medicine and papers of
all kinds that doctors use if I could have some of them at
home I should like it I brought some of them to the the
camp and I guess every man brought in something old
books 200 years old one book something like a bible 200 years
old all kinds of books both ancient and modern if I could
make an assortment and get them home I should feel rich
it is strange to me that he schould leave so much behind,
the N.Y. boys got a pianno worth 400 or 500 dollars they got
three horse lods of things such as they wanted, I took a
blank boot this is one of the leaves that come out of
it I have got writing paper enough now to last me a great
while to write on We did not see any rebels to interfere with
us and we returned safe and in good order

[letter of Hiram Cash will continue on August 28]

Hiram Cash, Private, Co. K, 5th Maine

MSS 12916