1862 December 17 Fort Tillinghast

Fort Tillinghast, Dec 17th/62
My Dear Wife
                        As I expect to receive a
letter from you this afternoon, I will
commence to answer it now, We are
now enjoying some very beautifull weather
for the last few days it has been as
warm and pleasant as June, Mrs Cha-
ndler, and Charly Pecker and wife came
here last Sunday, (Mrs Pecker is Capt
Chandlers sister) they stop with us
about a week, I believe, J B Alley
came over here last Sunday accompan-
ied by Wm Downing, Benj Sprague
John Martin and Philip Tapleys son,
all of Lynn, I had a talk with them,
Mr Alley seemed pleased to see me,
and asked me to come over to
Washington and see him, Lieut
Earp is geting along finely.  he has
got his Sword and uniform, and

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is to-day doing duty as "Officer of
tghe day" I really think that, that
Commission saved his life, he
is still quite feeble, having lost
some thirty pounds by his sickness,
How do you get along this winter,
A'int you most out of money, I
was in hopes, to have sent you some
before this, I suppose Uncle Sam
will pay us between this and the
middle of January, when he does
I will send it to you, We are all very
much in want of money, John B
said he thought we should be paid
off this week, John Blaney, and Cy
Stimpson of Swampscott were here
last week I did'nt see them, Perkins
and Pedrick did, It is now "Salt Horse"
time, I will finish this some other time

[letter of Robert P. Mansfield, Co. M., 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, will continue on the 19th.]

MSS 1242