1862 June 4 Fort Albany

Fort Albany June 4th 1862
4 o'clk P.M.

Dear Wife
                        I have just received your very
welcome letter of June 1st. I have been hopeing
and looking for it all day, although I
received one from you day before yesterday.
It has been raining very, very hard all day,
and consequently rather duller than usual,
but between your letters and the two papers
that you were kind enough to send I
have been able to spend the day quite plea-
santly. I am glad you got my miniature,
and that you, and Ernie knew who
it was taken for, although it do'nt do me
justice.   You wish to know what "Marching
Orders" are do you?  Well I'll tell you, for
we have been under them, but they are about
"played out" now. "Marching Orders" is to be
in readiness to start, at any moment, day
or night, for any place that our superior
officers, think proper to march us to.
We have been under them, I believe, three

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times within the last two or three weeks.
We have to pack knapsacks, and receive from
ten to twenty rounds of cartridges, or perhaps
more, have two or three days rations of food
(more or less) cooked, I believe that was the
"bill of fare" that we had on last "Marching Order"
day excitement.  We had in the fort amunit-
tion for a nine days seige, (extra) and mou-
nted about half a dozen more cannon,
We were mighty glad of the excitement
and wish marching orders would come
quite often, When the gallant 14th has
marching orders and executes them, I think
you may expect to see them with your
own eyes, for, when the 14th Mass Regmt leaves
these forts around Washington, they will leave
for the North and their places be filled by
"Regulars" Col Greene, we believe, likes this place
too well, to be moved from here in a hurry, and
another think, I do'nt believe he likes fighting any
better than a great many others, and another thing
he has I believe a great deal of influence at Washin-
gton, and in other places. (I guess we are all right, as long
                                                 as Col Greene is here.)

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You ask me in your letter of May  28th how much
I owe Fitzwilliam, I do not know, but, if you like
you can ask him, I have forgotten, I suppose he will know.
You may if you please, when you see Ellen, tell her
that I have never received any letter from her yet.
If she has written to me, it has been miscarried.
I think I have received all the Postage Stamps, you
have sent to me I received eight from you at one time
a short time since, Perhaps you would like to know
how I spent the three dollars that I kept of my wages.
I spent 65 cts to have my boots tapped, 50 cts for my
miniature, 25 cts for Postage stamps, 25 for writing
paper, 25 for sewing strips on my Coat & Pants
25 towards buying a Coffin for the man that fell
in the well and was drowned, and about 20 cts
for other charitable purposes, a small amount for
luxuries such as milk cheap cakes, &c &c the ballance
I hav e in my pocket, amounting to about ten cts
Do'nt you think I've been prudent. I think "you'll see it"
By the way, Will you please send me one or two, good, first rate
tip-top, steel pens, as, I ca'nt get any here, I dont want any
of the "hand kind."  Here are two of the contrabands, they
have just come into the tent, after our spare bread.  I have

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just shown them Ernie
s miniature, they say
he looks like a "right smart boy." I wish I had yours
and sissy's.  You may send them sometime
if it is not too much trouble.  I am very glad
to hear that Mother is getting better, tell
her to be careful and not try and do too
much work but I suppose it wo'nt do
any good to tell her that, for I know
she will work whenever she can stand
upon her feet.  You must set up your
authority and strictly forbid it.  tell her
if she'll mind you, I'll bring her home
a Rebel if I can catch one, when I come.
Oh! my jolly, how it rains, and its been
raining so all day, and no prospect of
a fair day to-morrow.  Well, let it rain,
it dont hit us in the tent here.
It's now getting to be most night, and I've
eaten quite a hearty supper, and you know,
one can't write much, on a full stomach.
and (some can't on full or empty) so I will
close by saying good night to you dear
Wife and little ones, at home, God
bless, and keep you from all evils,
is the constant prayer of
                                        Robert

Magnolia leaf & Moss Rose
(presumably enclosed)

Robert, an unidentified soldier from Lynn, Mass., in the 14th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery
MSS 1242