Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/clark-gardner-b/
Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Army of the Potomac
October 7th 1863
My Own Dear Wife.
Loved Mary.
I have not
written you in nearly a week.
Sunday was cold after the sun went
down and I was going to write
next morning. Morning camp
and it took me till late last
night to build my house, but
I have a good one. One that I could
live comfortable in all winter.
Yours of the 27th received last
eve. it was a week last Sunday
since I had heard from you.
Mother writes me
she is very lonesome without
you. I always thought you would
at Fathers best.
No one writes me
from Michigan. I send you
my first Lieuts. Commission with
this. I have sent you twenty dollars
since pay day. Mother writes that
Leonard had concluded not to enlist
but was going to work with Flint
I told him my mind freely a few
days ago.
We are told expect an attack
at any moment from Stuarts
Cavalry as they are close to us, but
never mind Stuart he had better
not try his fortune with the
3rd A.C. The mail has just
brought me yours of Oct. 1st
I think sometimes I have no feelings
or love for home or I would
take advantage of circumstances
and use the same perseverence
to go and stay there that I use
to stay here knowing if I did I
should be successful. Ambition is
God I most worship. I fear, but
at least the re-enlisting fever has
died out and we’ll serve our term
and be mustered out. Tell Miss
Balcomb, if the court knows herself
and she thinks she do. It is just
possible you are married. As for
thank I did not expect any from
such a quarter. My love to all
Love and kisses from
Your Loving Husband
Sic. Gardner
[On Newspaper Clipping]
An old bachelor says that marriage was insti-
tuted for not other purpose than to prevent men from
sleeping diagonally in bed.
Strange isnt it
