1862 February 19

Camp Franklin Near St Johns Seminary Alaxandria Va Feb 19th 1862
Dear Mother---I received Fathers Letter of the 13th & there was
another one that I lost so that I cannot tell the date of it but I suppose
he can tell, I am well & as I say in all of my letters that I never enjoied better
health which is so we are gone to be paid off about the sixth of next
month & they have brought in another allotment roll which I shall sign
but there is A great many in the company that say they shall not sign it
again on account of its taking so long to get to thier Families and Friends
but when we sign it this time it will be sent every pay day this last one
duing for all the Pay days Comodore Foote has been giving it to the Rebels
for the last week or two when the news of the Capture of Fort Dolison came
into the Camp there was the greatest Joy among the Men & the Bands of the
different Regiments Played different National tunes there is news that Sumner
is taken without having A bit of powder burnt there is gone to be another Captain
comeing out from Portland to take command of this Company his name is
Patch the say he has been in the Regular Service, & I suppose you know George
Fernald that use to keep with Mr Green & George he has been appointed
second Lieutenant of one of the Companies in the Regiment I saw Thomas
beels of Portland he is in the seventh Maine I did not know that he was out
here he said that he saw George when he came through, The small Pox has
been in one Company of this Regiment so that we could not get any passes, but
it is all over with now I thought I would not say anything before about it
but it is all over with now this being my last stamp I gess you will not get any
letter again not till after Pay day because we go on Picket the last of the week
& I cannot get in Town, without you send me two whilst I am out here as
that will be enough till Pay day, I have money Enough to buy them but I
cannot get in Town not till after Pay day & I shall try hard to get A pass to go
to Baltimore this Pay day if you send me two that is all I want you to send &
ask William whether he got that letter & Frank Crawford I sent Frank
Crawford A map showing where we were encamped you can get it from
him the place is marked old Factory I received A letter from George Mailed
the 6th Nov 1861 & the letter was dated the same From you Son Joseph Leavitt
P.S. Tell William that I directed his letter to edward in this way John William
& I sent Johny two valantines & I will enclose two cards


Letters from Joseph Leavitt and his brother George Leavitt 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