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Regiment: 20th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Near Fredericksburg, Virginia
January 9, 1863
Dear Dear Little Wife,
I have a little time before drill so I will commence a letter to you. I am a
well as ever and am looking very anxiously for a letter from you. The mail did
not come last night but I guess I shall get one to night. We have some very
pleasant time now. Oll and Horace come over to our shanty every evening and
stay till about nine O’ clock. Horace was not very well last night but Oll looks as
well as I ever saw him. Tell Alice that I am going to write to her again just as
soon as I get time. I will not finish this letter till tomorrow morning for may get a
letter from you tonight. Frank, John Grosser’ father has come down to see him
he got here day before yesterday in the afternoon. Frank, I wrote a letter to
Larasse yesterday. I wanted to write to somebody and I thought I might as well
write to her. As anybody Frank, I doesn’t see any prospect of us getting our pay
this time. We are mustered for pay every two months. We were mustered a
week ago Wednesday and am afraid we shall not get any pay before the first of
March. I think if the Government is not able to pay us they had better let us go
home. Frankie, I hate to send home for money but I don’t know but I shall have
to. Frankie, when you write again tell me whether you get any money from the
family relief fund. You wanted to know if any other money but the green backs
would yes most any kind of money will pass here if you can without robbing
yourself. You may but have two or three dollars in some of your letters but do
not rob yourself in the least.
Saturday, January 10th
Well Frankie I ment to finish this letter and mail it this morning but I to
come out on picket and shant get back to camp till tomorrow morning. So I
suppose it wont go till Monday morning. I am going to write to Alice today. I
looked for a letter a letter last night but there was but two or three letters for the
Regt. And I was not among the lucky ones but I may get one before this goes.
Frankie you must not send me any money to skimp yourself. The most I want
money for is to buy papers and sometimes I like to buy something of the Sutler.
For living all the time you know is not very healthy but I can get along without
money better than you can. I haven’t got the box yet but the Chaplain has gone
to Washington and I suppose he will get it. Well it is beginning to rain and I
shall have to put off my letter till tomorrow.
Sunday, January 11
th
Well my dear we had a pretty hard time on picket but when we got back
to camp this morning I was doubly payed for it for the box came all right and I
am a thousand times obliged to you all for it. I can see that my little wife has had
a good deal to do with putting it up and the things were … Tell mother
Harrington that we ate a little of her cake and then I took it over to Oll and
Horace. They were tickled with it. They are coming over tonight and we will
have an old .. you better believe. When you answer this please tell me what the
charges were on the box. It did not cost me anything from Washington, it was
forwarded by the Government. The Chaplains and that is the way to send all
your boxes. Well my dear wife I must close this letter. I will write again in a day
or two. Tell Alice it was so noisey when I was on picket and it was very late
when I was relieved this morning that she will have to excuse me a day or two.
All the things came all right exceptin one box of cherries got bursted open and
stained some of the things but did not damage.
Frankie dear if you should send me any money do not send more that 2
dollars and then if it should get lost it wasn’t amount much. But be sure and not
rob yourself my dear.
Charlie.
