1862 February 13 Camp Franklin near St. John's Seminary

Camp Franklin Near St Johns seminary Alaxandria Va Feb 13th 1862

Dear Father I have received two letters dated the 3d & 8th two days ago & should have answered them before this but as the mud had dried up they thought they would set us at work drilling the Zouave drill in which I can say that we can drill first rate this Evening General Slocum came & told the regiment that the Government wanted six Hundred men to go in the Gunboats that are out West & if any man in the Regiment wanted to go they might give their names into the Captain of the Company & I think I shall Join it if they will let me go if I go I expect to see more fighting than I do here & one thing I shall not have so much to lug it is not that I am tired of Soldiering but I think it will be more be more[sic]hea[l]thier for me the weather agrees with me out here you say that you would not write a word that would give me the least pain you need not be affraid of that, Night before last my tent got A fire & one whole corner burnt so that we could not mend it so we got A new tent which we have not got to pay for we were all asleep when it got Afire so we do not know how it got afire, I received A letter From Ellen in which she said they were all well I am well & hope this will find you the same give my love to all. From your Son Joseph Leavitt


Letters from Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine and his brother George Leavitt of the 5th New York were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865: "because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid." Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

MSS 66