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Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
May 2nd The weather is fine a
good time for pickets tomorrow we
will be relieved and go back to camp
if they do not move, but the news came
to us this morning that they were a
going to move tomorrow morning if they
doe I cannot tell which way we will
goe but I think it will be towards
Culpeper we will soon haveto face
the enemy hope that we may make
them hunt their holes this summer
and then smoke them out or dig them
out or any way to get them out to give
us a fare chance at them but I think
that we will have a tough time of
it this summer, One of the boys
that was on post yesterday morning had
his gun standing on a little stump
with his hand on top the gun slipped
off struck the lock and went off through
his hand and liketo went through his
head the gun had a cork in it and it all
went through his hand that is the
way that he gets out of this summers
campaign there is a great many that
plays out in this way, but it is a hard
matter to try to play out now a days
for they will not discharge a man until
he has been dead ten days, but I have
written enough of this trash for this
time, Well Julia how is it about that
little Daughter of ours have you named
it yet or cant you find a name good
enough for it if you cannot why I
will send you a name or two for it
I would like to have it called Rose
or Belle, either one or both of them
now what do you think of those names
what does little Fred think of the baby
I suppose he thinks his nose is out now
poor little fellow I would like to be there
now to help take care of him but I suppose
he will root his through, As I sat
here a writing the Sargeant came in with
with a letter for me that you wrote
on the 25th but I did not think that it
was from you before I opened it I was
supprised to think that you was so smart
but you must not try to be to smart but
keep still until you get your strength
you wrote that I must send a name for
that nice little girl I had just been
writing what you minto call it if you
had not named it when your letter
came to me but I did not think that
it was from you I thought that it was
from Silas, you did not write what day
of the month that it was born but if I
understood Hie aright it was on the 21st
well I shall have a conciderable off my
mind now that you are a getting so as
to write to me again and I shall write
to you often if the mail is not stopped
well Julia I am a going to have a hoe cake
to night of Mis Sesesh Pane is her right
name she sells them for 25 cents and not very
large at that but I think that I had rather have one
of your make
you did not write whether you had received
that money that I expressed to you or not
it was sent to Dexter in Areb Smith
name as soon as you receive it you must
let me know I sent 40 dollars and have
sent five dollars since in a letter I
drew 52 dollars and seventy cents for myself
and cannot tell when we will be payed
off again but if I get short and need any
I shall send to some of you for it,
but I think that what I have got will be
enough for me, well it is almost time
for me to go on post again and I shall
have to stop writing for this time, I composed
some verses last night while on duty but
have not time to write them now nor room
to send them in this envelope, give my
best respects to all of our parents and friends
Here is my best respects to you
And to little Fred
And to that little Daughter
That lays by you in the bed
From your affectionate husband
S.B. Merrill
