Sunday, February 3, 2013

1863 January 28-29 Fort Tillinghast, Va.

Fort Tillinghast Va Jan 18th/63
Dear Wife
Your welcome letter of the
22d Jan I recieved last night, I can imagine
how you looked and how the "sitting
room" looked when you were writeing,
I wish I was there this afternoon,
I am very glad to hear that you and
the children are so well, God grant
that you may continue so, I am
also perfectly well, and hearty and hope
to continue so,  My chills have left
me entirely, I took about a dozen
doses of Quinine, and it drove them
away quickly, I dont think they will
return very soon, if they do I shall
try them with more of the same
medicine, Quinine, I suppose you
know is made of Peruvian Bark, and
of course must be a good medicine,

[page 2]
We are having some very dirty
and disagreeable weather Yesterday it
rained all day, and this morning it
commenced to snow about two o'clk
and has been snowing all day, very fast,
it melts on the ground however, nearly
as fast as it falls, the mud is ancle
deep almost, it is now about the time
of year to have a good deal of rainy
weather here,--You ask me why
I signed my name to that bill, Why
shouldn't I: You cannot collect it, if
my name is not signed to it unless
you send it back to me, I did it
to save trouble, can you not tear
off my signature, from the bottom
of the bill, can't you make out ano-
there bill just like the one I sent you,
It makes no differance who makes out
a bill.. I have a duplicate of the one I sent

[page 3]
you, which is not receipted, I will send
you that if you want me to, but I
dont think there is any need of doing
so, I'll do just as you say however, In answ-
er to your question (Have you not made the
bill rather large?) I answer, No! I have made
the bill just as it should be, and the amount
is what is lawfully due me, to say nothing
of interest, Again I say, if my name at the
bottom of the bill is, or will be, any imped
iment to you, in your undertakings, tear
it off, or make out another bill, I lose
none of Earps company, now that he is
Lieut., any more than I did before, I am
as familiar with him and he with me, as
ever, You want me to tell you truly how
I am, Well! I have told you truly in the first
part of this letter, and, is there anything I need
in Lynn, Yes! there is, but you could'nt send
what I most need. You would have to come

[page 4]
yourself and bring them, I mean my own
dear wife and little ones, I am very well
contented  however, to know that my dear
ones are in good health and are pleasantly
situated, and want for no food, clothing
or fire, as many poor soldiers dear ones
do, I thank God that we are as well situ-
ated as we are,--Those skins that I
wrote to you about, I have not been able
to dress very well, I dont know anything
about the business, and shall have to send
them as they are, next week, when I go
to Washington,  I have three of them, I
dont know as they will hardly pay for the
trouble, but I'll send them to you if J.B.
will frank them, I dont think of much more
to write now, I'll try and write again, Sunday,
Give my love to Father and Mother, and to all
friends, Kiss our darlings for me, and receive
for yourself, much earnest, and true love from Robert

[upside down in top margin of page 2]
Thursday Morn 29th
Still snowing very severe, about six
inches on the ground this morning,
looks as though it would storm a month
[last line illegible]

Sergeant Robert P. Mansfield, Co. M, 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery

MSS 1242

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