1862 July 1-2 Fort Albany

Fort Albany July 1 1862

My Dear Wife
I have just now received
another one of those good letters of yours, of
date, June 29th  I posted a letter to you yesterday
morn, the 29th, and two papers, containing three
Magnolias, this morn, I have just been reading
the glorious news from Richmond, I suppose
you will hear of it today too, You need not
be afraid of our going down south to fight
or in fact anywhere else, so long as Col
Wm B Greene, is at the head of the Mass
14th, I do'nt say that he is afraid to fight,
or that he is a coward, but you may rest
assured that the Mass 14th will never see
or do any fighting with the rebels, this
is not my opinion alone, but the opinion
of every one in the Regmt.  Oficers and all.
Nothing pleases Col Greene so much as
to have a good looking regmt one that
he could take to Boston or anywhere, so
that they would show off pretty well.   The

[page 2]
Col is a regular "Old Betsy" but a real good man


                                   Wed afternoon, 4 o'clk
It is raining in torrents, and has been doing
so all day, and to help the matter along
it is very cold,  I think it is the coldest
storm we have had this summer, it does
not affect us much however, we keep
snug in our tents, and pass away the
time in various ways, Some of us are
writeing letters to our dear ones at home,
some are reading, some ar[e] playing Dominoes,
and the rest are singing or sleeping.  I have been
asleep the most of the day.  I have probably
slept five  hours since morning.  I had to
wake up to eat my dinner, because we
had baked beans, we are going to have some
more for supper, you know baked beans dont
go bad on a cold stormy day.  There is some
talk about camp to-day, that we shall get
paid off tomorrow, but I do'nt beleive it, I
hope not, because Friday is the glorious fourth
and I think that the "Boys" will be better
off without ther money, than they will with it.

[page 3]
We have'nt any of us got any money, or, not any
to speak of, and I beleive that the "fourth" will
pass by, much more pleasantly to some of
us than it would, if there was plenty of money
in the camp, because there are many here who
would be under the influance of Rum if they
had the means to procure it with, but who
will now, (if we dont get paid off) be obliged
to pass the day in a quiet, and peaceful man
ner. Probably we shall get paid off on the 15th
We are not going to Washington on the fourth.
that is "played out"  We did not go to Fairfax
Seminary to the great reveiw, that I wrote
you about, that was also "played out" in short.
they were all camp stories,  We can hear any
thing that we want to, here, As I sit here
writeing one of my mess sits by me reading the
account of the fighting, down to Richmond.
I cannot help comparing our situation to
that of those brave fellows who are probably
now fighting for us, here are we in in warm
and comfortable quarters, wanting for nothing-
(so to speak) while they, perhaps, are suffering.


[page 4]
for the want of a great many things, that we
make no account of. Sometimes some of my
mess begin to find fault, about the war.  I begin
to talk to them about those that have gone to 
fight at the south, and it most always has
the effect to silence their complainings,
We are to have Sixteen bushels of Green Peas
for dinner on the fourth of July, rather a small
mess, but we will try and get along with them.
There is so much noise and skylarking here in the
tent, that I can hardly tell whether I am on
my head or heels.  The Boys are determined to
have a good time if it does storm so bad.
I wish you could see some of the capers that
has, and are being carried on, I guess you would
laugh some, at any rate, I dont think you
would say that the "Boys" had'nt had
a good time today.
It is now time for summer, I must not miss
the Beans.  Write often as you can to your
humble servant, and he will do the same
to you, Give my love to Father & Mother
a kiss to our darling little ones, and lots
of them for yourself.  Imagine me with
you in spirit if not in body--and
beleive me ever yours truly in love,
                            Robert


I sent a letter to Father yesterday
(Dont forget Postage Stamps)


[upside down in top margin of page one]
I think Ernie is improving fast in writing
letters.  Tell him I thank him for his last.
Thank you for the lock of Sissy's hair, I keep it with Ernie's letters


MSS 1242