Monday, November 19, 2012

1862 November 20 Fort Tillinghast, Va.

Fort Tillinghast, Va., Novbr 20th/62
                    Thursday PM

My Dear Wife
                        I expect to receive a letter
from you to-night, so I will commence to
write you an answer in return, We are now
having some of the worst of Virginia wea-
ther, it has been raining for four days in
succession, and now looks as if it might
continue to rain for the next fortnight
to come, We hardly know what to do
with ourselves. All that we have had
to do this week is to eat and sleep, but
[ink smear] eating and sleeping all the
time is getting "played out" with us,
we want something else to do.  We have
heard for the last three or four days that
we were to be paid off to-day, but we
find to our great disappointment, that
such is not the fact, but instead,
that they say we shall not be paid
off before the fifteenth of next
January, Confound the Paymaster,

[page 2]
I suppose you who are at home, are begi-
ning to think of the coming Thanksgiving,
we also are thinking of the same time,
there will probably be a number of
of[sic] boxes come to my men,so I think
we shall something to eat at that time,
besides soldiers fare.  I really hope that
you may have a pleasant time, and
something good to eat, on Thanksgiving
Day, and that I shall be with you on
the next one,  How is it with you about
war news.   Do you hear anything of any
importance, concerning this "played out"
farce, We get no papers, (for we have no money)
as you see we ai'nt booked up in war matters,
The talk in camp now, is that Burnside
is within three days march of Richmond,
how true it is time will determine.
Yesterday Lieut Rhodes (of our company) took
his command as Capt of Co G. we were
not sorry to loose him, although we liked
him very much, as a man, he is not a

[page 3]
good drillmaster, he will do much better
in Co. G. --Ear[ is still improving in health
and will probably be about in a few days,
If you please, you may send me a few postage
stamps, as I am all out,

[letter of Robert, an unidentified soldier from Lynn Massachusetts in Company M of the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery will continue on the 21st]

MSS 1242

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