1862 October 5 Fort Tillinghast

Fort Tillinghast  Oct 5/62

My Dear Wife
                        This is a beautiful Sabbath
morn I never saw a more pleasant at this
time of year, last night we had a heavy rain
the first we have had for many weeks, I have
nothing of importance to write, everything is
going along the same as usual, My health is
very good, much better now than it has been
at any time since our advance.  We still have
quite a number of sick men in the company,
but they are improveing as the cool weather
comes on, I suppose you are those cold east-
erly storms this month, I should lie to
be there to enjoy them with you.  We have just
been out on inspection, we begin to look some as
we did at Fort Albany.  You wrote some time ago
about selling the Shop to Wm. Did you ever say
anything to him about it, if so, What answer
did he make you,  Has anything ever been done
with those Kid Skins that I left in the

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in the Shop, if there has not, why dont your
Father use them up, he may have them and
be welcome to them, they will spoil if they
are not used, By the way, I want you to ask Hen
Batcheller what he can get me twenty five or
thirty pounds of Navy tobacco for, the lowest
price I can make a large profit on it out here
if I can get if of Hen at a reasonable price.
Did I ever tell you that when the new recruits
came for the 14th regmt that the notorious Albert
J. Terrell was among them, he is in Co K,
at Fort Albany, he gambles with any one who
is green enough to play with him, and is sure
to get their money, he makes a good deal out
of the new regmts that encamp around here.
he is detested by all decent men, My mess
are pareing apples to day. they went off somewhere
this week and "skied," some, and now we are going
to have some apple sauce, it will be quite a
rarity for us,  Ben Alley is here staying with his
brother Richard for a few days, he is one of the

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paroled prisoners, from Richmond, who were
taken last May, you will remember that about
six thousand were paroled a short time ago, he
among the number, he "blows" as much as ever,
All the "boys" are wishing for pay day to come, I
dont think that we shall be paid off  now, until
there is four months wages due us, there is
a great want of money among us I dont think
there is three dollars in the whole company.
The Paymasters are probably among the fighting
regmts paying them off.  How do you get along
with you school.  Have you any more scholars
or have'nt you any, Ernie says he is learning
to paint.  How does he succeed, is he an
apt scholar, or is he to unsteady and nervous
like his father, How is Ada geting along.
Is she well, and does she plague you as much
as ever, I should think that Ernie was large
enough to take care of her the most of the
the time. Dont they have some good times
playing together, I should think they might

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How I should like to be there and see
them and all the rest of of[sic] you.  I
guess I must try and get a furlough to
come home when the regmt comes, I
dont know what McClellan is up to
but I think that he will strike a blow
soon that will be felt to the very vitals
of the Southern Confederacy.  We will wait
paitiently and see,---I did not think this
morning that I would attempt to write
to you untill I had heard from you again
I know that I have not written anything
that will interest you, but it seemed
to me this morning that I wanted to
say something to you, and as this is one
way that loved ones have of saying some
thing to to loved ones far away, I have tried
to say a few words to you, Dear wife this morn
ing, hopeing that you excuse whatever of the
letter is uninteresting to you, and promising to
try and do better next time I remain yours in love Robert

Robert, of Lynn, Massachusetts, an unidentified soldier in Co. M of the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

MSS 1242