1862 April 18 Fort Albany

Praise of Capt Chandler Fort Albany Apr 18th 62
Friday Eve
Dear Priscilla,
Your welcome missive has just
been received,  I am always very glad to receive any
word from you, and most especially this last--
because I was very anxious to from the dear
ones at home, who are, and have been, unwell,  I hope
the next time you write, you can tell me they are
well or much better.  For myself, I can say that I
still continue in good health and spirits, I never
was better in my life, I am geting very fat and rugged
Ten days ago I weighed four pounds more that I did
when I left home, and am still gaining.  Today has
been very hot, the Thermometer stood at 90° in
the shade. This evening we are having a big thunder
shower, it rains in torrents.  We are in tents, but none
of the rain touches us, we have been in tents two
days and we like them much better than the
barracks, they are both cool and airy.  There are

[page 2]
fourteen in each tent, all told (a Corporal, and thirteen
men), One of our "boys" in my mess has just had
a box arrive from Lynn (his name is John Lindsay)
containing goodies, such as doughnuts, cakes, candy
oranges, &c &c. and you better believe we are having
a good time over them.  We hear here, that in Lynn
stories are in circulation, that are doing Capt Chandler
great injustice,such as, that he is a great tyrant, abusing
his men,and treating them in the worst manner.  Now
I want to contradict that story in in every particu-
lar.  In the first place Capt. Chandler does everything
in his power to make the men comfortable, and
contented, I dont believe there are two men in the Com-
pany, but that would speak in the strongest terms
of the gentlemanly, kind, and humane, actions
of Capt C. To the sick (when there are any)
he is very attentive, in short, he has, so far, proved
himself a gentleman in every sense of the
word,  (Please contradict any thing of the kind you
may hear and you will do me a favor, and all the
rest of the Company

[page 3]
You speak in your letter of hearing of deaths in our
our company, we have not had a death in our
company, the health of the men has been very
good since we came here,We have had four or
five cases of sickness, neither of them serious
There has been one death fro Co. L. of a boy from Quincy
and one or two others, from other Regmts.
Yesterday was payday for the old companies here
and today they are having a great time (some of
them) Co M. & L. will probably be paid off about
the first of May.  You need not put yourself
to any inconvenience about those Shirts
I spoke about, I dont need them very much
if it is going to be so hot, sometime maybe
you can get them as well as not, Dont you
trouble yourself about them.  Nathan Bickford
and Allen Lewis are here in a cook house, cooking
for the Regmt Teamsters, I see them most every
day.  Charly Atherton comes up from Fort Runyon
quite often to see me, you can tell Ellen, and she can
tell his sister.

[letter of "Robert" an unidentified soldier in the 14th Massachusetts
will continue on the 19th]

MSS 1242