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Regiment: 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Franz Sigel, Samuel P. Heintzelman
Headquarters 19th Regt
Near Alexandria Va Dec 28
th 1862
Sunday Evening
[ ? ] forgotten Friend Hatt
I received your
letter soon after date Dec 19
th
but postponed an answer for
this reason I had no stamps
sent after them to Washington
and Alexandria but failed to get
them consequently your answer was
delayed.
Mas Was right glad to
hear from you as you know well
I am always! It is a source of
great enjoyment for absent friends
to know how to write and communicate
with each other even at a great
distance but guess you will judge
me sadly deficent in the practice
by the way I write. but I am in a
hurry and have already written untill
my hands tremble like a
[ ? ] leaf
in a hurricane I had the following
letters to answer. Ine
[ ? ] Nett
and Most Julia J. Waldron. Ett
Patcher. Fanny Waldron and yours.
Tomorrow morning I go on guard for
24 hours and what I do must be done
to night of postpone them longer
I am well Dan is well
but George has been quite sick
I have thought he had the Livere
complaint but he is much better
now I have watched him closely
every spare moment. I have been very
healthy have been excused from duty
only two days since I enlisted: One
word to you all in particular, enjoy yourselves
as well as you can and you will not know
what happiness is then. but take the
place of a soldier a few months and
you can well appreciate the comforts
you enjoy. I say this to encourage you
to be patient and self denying not that
I wish to change my position untill
changed honorably and Peace restored. it
is rather discouraging to see our healthest
men sicken and die as sudden two of
our best men in Co. H. are gone suddenly
and forever. 400. are on the sick list so
it goes: and who next will be unfortunate
Well Hatt we are to march in a very
few days but where still remains a secret
to us soldiers. it is eveident we shall soon leave
one rumor is that we are to join Gen Segel
there is all sorts of stories but we shall
soon know. We are to be relieved here
by the 26
th Michigan Regt. they are
welcome to the job. I had rather fight
myself. we may go some time this
week, and perhaps not in 10 days. for
some reason our Lieut Colonel seams
to be highly pleased about it and I
feel willing to follow him. Our Col.
Wessels, is yet in the Hospital. wish he
could go too. We have been under the
command of Gen. Hentzleman since we came
south for he is assigned to command of the
defences of Washington: all those men you
enquired after are well excepting Carol L. North
soldiering dont agree with him very well. he is rather
poor and thin in the face. George Curtis and Elroy
Jennings has got the measels! Hatt I made you
a ring=dont
lagh laugh at it I know it is not very
nice, but it came from a soldier. it was an old
beef bone I split off a piece with the ax made the hole
with my bayonet and fixed the rest with my pocket
knife by waring it. will grow bright and smooth
at least the one I have worn has. Yesterday from
11 oclock untill late in the Evening there was
heavy cannonading in the direction of Centerville
we heard it plain here and a telegraphic dispach
has just come in that the Rebs are fighting Segel
guess they will have a fine time of it they had beeter
let him alone. Well Hatt I must stop
writing. guess I have wrote all I know
to no. speaking of Bob he never will be President
so if you marry him you will get a broken stick
to lean upon. You might better had me afore I
married my rather women. if you had, I never
should come to war but you know I cant live
with everybody and anybody, hah! hah! Well give
my Love to all the folks for I shall send
enough for them all and then leave enough
for to make you sick Yours in Sincerity
Bill Thompson to Harret Mariah Waldron
mi deer ant write soon
direct as heretofore untill further orders
We had salt horse for
Christmas Supper and
guess Newyears supper
will be. the same but I
don’t care. here goes the last
from me to Harrett Marier Waldin Home
