1862 July 24 [Fort Albany]

                                             Thursday eve, July 24th


             Your letter and Miniature
I received this afternoon, in good condition.  I am very
much obliged to you for both, especially the miniature,
I think the likeness very good, and very prim.  I
think you look about the same as you did when I
was at home.  I do'nt see as you grow any fatter in the
face, Now if you will send Sissys I will try and
be satisfied for the present.  I want to see how the
little lady looks, I suppose she has grown so much
by this time, that I should hardly know her,
I am so sorry to hear that Ernie is not well,
What do you thin, Is it anything serious, please
let me know, if you think so, How long has he
been in that way, What does your Mother think of
it, let me know all about him as soon as you can,
You speak of what Fitzwilliam says of Col Greene,
I can assure you, that it is all true to the letter.
He is a regular "Old Betty" and likes a fancy Reg
much better than a fighting one,  He will come
out all right, at the end of the war, and he
knows very well, what he is about, you may
be sure,You say you will send me some Post-
age stamps, if I want them.  Well! Why in time
do'nt you send them. I have asked you to, in
my last letters, but have not received any.

[page 2]
I do'nt bleive[sic] you got all of the letters that
I have written to you, I have sent you two
letters per week, almost ever since I have been
in Virginia.  I know for the last two months
that I have posted two to you every week,
If you have my letters, or, can remember, please
count them over and see how many, you
have received,  They are no great loss, I know,
if you do'nt get all of them, but then, I should
like to know if you get them, or somebody
else,  I and my friend Richardson, (He is a very strong
Universalist, by the way) have been out after Black-
berries, this afternoon  We were gone about an hour and
brought in five qts, besides eating almost as many more,
How I should like to have your Father here to go with
us someday. it beats all the places that I ever saw
for berries, the bushes are loaded down with them,
I believe that we could pick ten bushels, on a space
not half as big as your father's field, and they are
high bush at that, and, as big as your thumb, (I'll
swear to it)  I should like to hear the result of that "War Mee-
ting, that you  & your folks, had on the Common,  I
suppose there was some big talking, a quantity of
music, a good deal of blowing,and puffing, and that
was about all that it would amount to, I think that
Massachusetts people are about "played out" on this war.
There is too much of the "Niggar" question in them, but
I guess I wont say any more for hat I might condemn
myself---Please send me some Postage Stamps.

Take good card of yourself and keep yourself Looking
as well as your miniature does now, untill I come to you.
Kiss the children for me, and think all kinds of
good things for yourself--Yours in love
                                                             Robert

[letter of Robert, an unidentified soldier in the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery]

MSS 1242