1862 February 2 Camp Federal Hill, Baltimore

My Dear Mother---I suppose you think by this time I owe you A letter
I am asshamed[sic] of myselfe for neglecting you so long for the future I will
try & write you at least once A week now I have begun to write I hardly
know what to write about we have had nothing but snow & rain for
the last three weeks the frost is playing the Old Heavy with the Fort
by next spring the walls will be down & then there will be more
work for us last Sunday I saw Elder Peck he looks as large as ever last
Sunday we also had A visit from Mr. Charles & Jermny Jackson & all of
the Boys Mr West is in the Fort verry often I like him, we are hard
to work in learning the bayonet drill we may remain in Baltimore some
months & we may be called off any moment but if I were to Judge by appea-
rances I should say that we would remain untill the close of the war
I think we have seen all the service we ever will their inactivity
in[sic] making the men dissatisfied, I cant see why this Regiment is kept
back, when there is plenty of green Regts that could garison this Fort
as well as this Regiment, I received A letter from Joseph to day he says
they have not seen the sun for three weeks he is in good health that
last letter I receivd from Father I think was rather hard on me I do
not think it was called for I dont know what I have done to merit
such A letter I have always done my duty & never have been in the
guard House never been intoxicated or done anything that I
know of out of the way I did neglect to write A letter for A few days
that is all. I have tryed to conduct myselfe so that when I return
Home I can look back with pride to the time when I belonged
to the Fifth Regiment New York Volunteers I cant think of any
thing else to write about & will close hopeing we will all meet
again I am your Son
George


Letters from George Leavitt and his brother Joseph 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