Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/merrill-simeon-b/
Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp Near Brandy Station
Virginia April 25th 1864
Dear Julia
I received your letter
of the 17th on the evening of
the 23rd was supprised to hear that
you was so smart my health
is good and I hope that it will
remain so I have just finnished
writing to mother and I shall try
and finnish this and mail them
both togather the reason why I have
so much time to day to write is
because I was on gard yesterday and
came off this morning so that I have
all day to myself but Chalk. Chace
has been here to day and that henderd
me some we are a going to move our
Camp in the morning a mile or two
from here for it is not very healthy
where we are all that we will have
then will be our shelter tents I
suppose that they want to break us in
in a little before we march.
But Julia I was sorry to hear that
Harriett had made you so much
trouble but hope that you have got
rid of her now for I am not there
to fetch her back this time I
suppose that she has tried your
patience a conciderable I am glad
that you done s well as you did with
her I hope that you will take more
comfert now but I guess that Fred
will be some lonesome without her
you wrote that Frank had left and
that you had got Amelia. Hard I
am glad that you were lucky enough
to get her I hope that you will keep
still and take good care of yourself
for you have not got Harriett to
look after now, It must look rather
lonesome there now but I suppose
that Fred keeps things a jogging
pretty lively according to your tell
I want you to do the best that
you can with that bond and what
money there is to spare if you
cannot do the business get Uncle
John or your Father to do it for
you but I think that you had better
let Uncle John attend to it for I
told them that I should leave my
business with him but I do not know
as it makes much differents who
does it I did not send home all
of my money I kept thirteen dollars
and seventy cents but I think that
I shall send five dollars in my
next for I dont know as I shall
wanto use it for when we get on a
march we cannot use it you must
do the best that you can and be as
equinomieal as you can for you are
to some expence but never mind that
keep enough by you to pay your
hiered girls for they must have their pay
I hope that the next time that I
hear from you that I shall hear
different news and that you are
a doing well as may be expected
I suppose that you have got six nice
lambs according to your tell I suppose
if you
haveto hapento have an odd
number this season that you will
give me one wont you Julia,
I want you to get a dollars worth of
stamps and send me four or five at
a time for this letter takes the last
stamp but I can borrow until I
get some from home write as often
as you can Julia and when you cannot
write get some of the friends to write
for you well Julia it is most time
for the mail to go out and I must
stop writing kiss that little fred for
me give my respects to Father and
Mother Caswell Hie and Florence and
all enquiring friends, Julia I wrote in
the fore part of this letter that I would send
$5 dollars home in my next but I guess
that I will send it this time then I shall
have 6 dollars and 50 cents left use it to the
best advantage so no more this time from
your affectionate husband S.B. Merrill
Well Julia Smith and
I had quite a feast last
night we went to the
Sutlers and bought a
pound of sausage and
a pound of Cheese the
Cheese cost 40 cents the
sausage 30 fetched them
home and I parboiled the
sausage and then fried
some meat for the gravy
and then I fried the
sausage, (was that right) they
was seasoned well and we
put them out of sight in
a hurry butter is worth
from fifty to sixty cents
per pound apples from three
to five cents a piece and
small at that I often think
that I would like to
have some of the apples
that grew in our little
orchard I suupose that
you have not got many
left by this time you
wrote that we had six
lambs and that they were
smart that is good so far
hope that we may be able
to raise a nice little flock
this season for we have not
been very lucky yet with
sheep but they may do better
now they have got a sheperdess
to take care of them
you wrote that Hiram wanted
them gords you can do as you are a
mine to about letting him
have them if he does take
them he must allow you
four dollars for I had rather
you would keep them than
to let them go any less
Julia when you write
I would like to have you
write how Mrs Elliott or Mrs
Smith when you can hear
from them for when I get
a letter and they dont they
wanto know if you said any
thing about their family
you see I rather beat them a getting
letters now I have received eight
in a little over a week six from
you on from Silas and on from
James but dont I take comfert
a reading them I read them
two or three times, Elisha Wright
complains that he does not get
a letter from home very often
and I am afraid that I shall
not get on from my wife very
soon but I hope that it
will not be a great while
I shal be very anxious now to
hear from home
io seems
as though I could not wait
for the next Julia when
you cannot write get some one
to write for you
O how I would like to be at
home with you but there is no
use of talking for that is impossible
but my mind will be on home
and thinking how Freddy will get
along but I will not borrow any
trouble for there is some way
provided always
The talk is now that we will be
paid off this week but they have
talked that over a week ago so I cannot
tell when we will get it
It is time that I was to the office
with this so good after noon Julia
for this time give my respects to
Frank and Harriett and all enquiring
friends
From your Husband S.B. Merrill
Write Soon
[On Envelope:]
Mrs Julia Merrill
Fowlerville Livingston Co
Michigan
