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Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp near Brandy Station
Virginia April 27th/64
Dear Wife
I thought that I would
write a few lines to you this after
noon to let you know that I am
well and in good spirits we moved
our camp yesterday we only moved
about one miles from the old camp
onto a nice piece of ground on a
large plantation and stuck our
tents we are in a nice healthy
place but haveto sleep on the
ground but we haveto get use to
it David Hoyt and I went over
to the 26th last night and came
back this forenoon I had an excelent
visit with the boys I slept with
Thomas and Watson we had a good
old time and a first rate breakfast
they had Potatoes smoked ham
currant and cherry sauce Bread
and coffee but I suppose that
I would not fare quite so well but
they live with Lieut Ives
Watson cooks for him and Thomas
has stopped with them ever since
he has been down here but it
seamed clever to me to sit down
to a table once more with some
of my old neighbors I have not
sat down to a table to eat a
meal of victuals but once before
since I left Pontiack and that
was to Lieut Chase, but I did
not expect when I enlisted that
I was a going to live as I did
at home sometimes I stand up
and eat sometimes sit down
and sometimes lay down just as
we happen to feel a soldier eats
when he is a mineto and as
much as he is a minito, I
went to the Sutlers last night
and bought me some Cheese and
a pound of sausage the Cheese
was forty cents the sausage thirty
and George Elliott and I had a
good supper but I do not buy
much to the Sutlers for they sell
every thing so high they ask 60
cents for butter that does not
look fit to eat and 75 cents for
eggs (a dozen) and every thing in
proportion, We are having very
nice weather here now and I
think that we will march before
a great while but when we will
march or which way we will
go I cannot tell and we will
not know till we are ordered to
pack up, Julia as soon as you
get that money that I expressed
I wish that you would let me
know for I want to know if it
went through safe also the five
dollars that I sent to you in a letter
that I wrote to you the 25th
Thomas received a letter from Ellen
that was written the 17th
she wrote that
three days later than the one that you
wrote last she wrote that James was very
sick that they did not think that he would
live but I hope that he will live through
it for he is a good boy and if he lives
will make a smart man I cannot make
it seam to me but what he will get
well yet but we have all of us gotto die
sooner or later some can be with
their friends and some cant them
that can oughto be thankfull,
Thomas showed me Ellens likeness it
looks very natural but I told him
that I had one that I thought was a little
nicer so we put them togather he
though that his was the best looking
and I thought that my wife was
and Watson thought that he had one
that was better looking than our gals
now Julia I wantto hear from you as
soon as I can you can guess why.
Tell Hie that he can wash the sheep and
shear them if he will doe it good and
you can pay him when you sell the wool
tell him that Wat sends his best respects
to him give my best respects to all enquiring
friends this from your husband
Simeon B. Merrill
[On Envelope:]
Mrs Julia Merrill
Fowlerville Livingston Co
Michigan
