Sunday, November 11, 2012

1862 November 11 Camp Casey Fairfax Seminary



                                                 Camp Casey Nov. 11 [1862]
                                                        Fairfax Seminary

Dear Sister Helen,
                                       I received your letter
day before yesterday and have had two or
three from you before but could not answer
them as I have not been well enough
and am pretty weak to write now but want
to let you know at home how I am –
I am in the hospital now but I feel
much better to day   I have been sick about
a week or 10 days but have not been in
the hospital but 6 days    we have pretty
good accommodation and care and I guess
I shall be out in a few days.   I should
have got some one to have written home for

me but I thought that it might
make you think that I was very sick
when I was not.   Those eatables that
you sent me in the box were most all
spoiled the beef & chicken and indeed
every thing but the butter & cheese, was
mouldy & tainted but the other things
were all right   the mittens are just right
and the gloves do very well only a little
large    guess they came from Birdsey’s
the army knife is very nice
                            It is very sad about
Seth   I was just going to send you a paper
with an account of his death when I got
your letter with the piece from the paper
I had a letter from him the night –
before I heard of his death  received it
at the same time I did Cha’s – will
enclose it in this   it was written 6 days
before the fight.   You see we have
moved our camp again finally we
made quite a stop in Old Chase but

it is a pleasant place here we have
got our Sibley tents and shall stay
here some time I guess  we have
to do picket duty here, as we are so
near the end of our lines we are
6 miles from the old camp further
south.  The whole Regt has gone
out on picket to day to stay 48 hours
I hope I shall be well soon so that
I can go on picket for it is fun
                                       I guess I shall be
well soon.  I had the camp fever for
some time but have no fever now but
my back and hips are lame but they
rub them every day   I shall get
along first rate.   I feel much too
tired to write more this time will
write again soon
                          Your brother
                                              Jim

James H. Howard, 15th Connecticut

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12668

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.