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Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Hiram C. Berdan
Camp Near Falmouth V.A.
Feby 21st 1863
My Loved Mary.
Two evenings
agone I wrote you. What words I
used I know not. What thoughts
those words were to convey are ever
present to my mind. My greatest
fear is that I was rough in the
terms used. Those ideas there wrote
were the embodiment of principles
formed long ere my boy hood days
were over. They may be wrong.
perchance they are right. But right
or wrong. They are no criterion for
you to go by. And I must ask you
to forging me. for even daring to
think for a moment that you should
or could have thoughts and feelings
similar. When I wrote that letter
of the sixth nothing was farther from
my thoughts than that you would go
with Anna. and when I wrote
the 19
th it was without thinking how
censure no matter how undeserved
would fall like a leaden weight
upon your heart. Yours of
the 14
th just received has reminded
me of it. You are right in doing
as you have done for you have done
it in the light of a duty. My ernest
wish and hope is that you will never
regret your choice. I shall not
feel hard toward you. you have my
sincere love and respect.
I believe I did not tell
of the good time we had picketing
when we were out last. Monday we
went out it was a beautiful day. I
made up my month for apleasant
excursion. Monday night however
it commenced snowing. Snowed
till tuesday eve then rain set in
and ceased only on Thursday morn
ing. Snow fell to the depth of near-
ly a foot and coming back I
concluded. it rained
two at least
twice as much for very many of
us went into the water up to our
body belts. Our Col. (Berdan)
has received the “Lone Star” and
has a Brigade.
With many kind wishes I’ll bid
you good night. A Kiss.
Yours ever Gardner
[On Envelope:]
Miss Mary Baxter
Grand Rapids
(Box 450) Michigan
