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Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Hiram C. Berdan
Camp of Instruction
Berdans U.S.S.S.
Washington D.C. Jan. 14th 1862
My Dearly Loved Mary,
Last night brought too me
Another of you ever loved and welcome messages
they are anxiously watched for eagerly read and while
reading my mind in imagination sees those fingers
as they trace those loving lines.
To day Uncle Sam has
again come around with his money bag and two months
pay is again in our pockets all in Treasury Notes, what
kind of money did they pay you that ten dollars in.
And
next time you write please tell me the state of you purse
I have some more money for you but did not know wheth-
er I should send it now or wait until
[ ? ] next pay
day when you get out you must let me know
sure.
[ ? ]
we have Col. Berdans word that we were to have our guns
within twenty days this time they are to be Sharps improved
breechloading double set trigger angular bayonets and
he acknowledged that he never had had an order for
the Spencer gun which some time ago he said he had
and this last I’ll bet a picayune is another
lie.
these These are now untraded for over a million
and a quarter muskets over a million of which are
untraded for at double what they are worth what in
the name of humanity and Liberty the Government
can want of them is a mystery to me especially as
the first of them are not to be delivered for six months
from now. Secretary Cameron has resigned and
although I think it is a good think and hope his successor
will know
his place and how to fill it. I hate to censure
a public man but I also hate to keep silent when I think
they deserve it and whether his mission to
[ ? ] will
be productive of the public good or not I am sure I cant
say, but I would hate to go is bail. One hundred mil-
lion dollars have been expended for the Army since
congress met on the second of December two millions
and more a day how long will the country stand still and
have things go on at this rate the mass will rise and throw
these men that swarm
like like leeches sucking the very
life blood out of our land under the name of Patriotism
men and money have been contributed in sufficient
quantities to have crushed this reb
lellion by this but ins-
tead the men are lying in camp dying by hundreds
dying faster than “Leaden hail” could ever kill then dy
ing an ignominious death and for no Earthly good
I said ignominious it is at least disgraceful that we
cannot be allowed the privilege of a soldiers death
amid the roar of battle and shouts of victory
We are having quite a snow storm about two inches
fell last night and it is snowing again this evening. I
am glad if you and Kate are getting good friends again as
your going out together evenings would seem to
[ ? ]
I have been sending you lately again the National Republican
hope you will get the most of them I did not send them for
a while because there was nothing interesting in them
If when you get this you have not sent that box I spoke a-
bout in my last I think you had better not because it is
ten to one if I should ever get it, a great many are lost
and last night Jim Way got a box which was sent him
and everything but some sour dash and two or three rot-
ten apples was taken out. Brewer and some other boys
had one sent them with things in it to the value of at
least twenty dollars which they have given up all hopes
of ever seeing it has been so long since it was sent
so please not sent it if you have not. And another
reason why you should not as sure as I am a soldier
in the service of my country I do not beleive Berdans
U.S.S.S. will ever receive under the present organization
another two months pay and I speak sentiments of the
mass of the Brigade. The boys say I am getting rough
but I love you as well as ever you are nearer to my heart
than I was willing to admit when I left you, but your place is
there and there you will ever remain. With at least
one
kiss. Good night sweet dreams of me.
Gardner
[On Envelope:]
Wm Mitchell
Miss Mary J. Baxter
Box 450 Grand Rapids
Michigan.
