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Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Headquarters Camp Michigan
5
th Reg’t Michigan Volunteers, Comp D
December 16 1861
Dear Dollie
I believe I must write to
you to day. firstly because I love to
write to you. secondly because you say
you love to hear from me and that
you believe my
[illegible due to water damage]
certainly good reasons for writing
now I ought to write a good letter
to day for I have yours and Pauls
picture looking up at me so pleasantly
but you know I never could write a good
letter. I am verry glad you sent the
likeness not that I had forgotten how
you looked but now I can see you
evry day. I have shown it to the boys
in our squad and they all think you
are real pretty and that you know
made me feel quite proud they
said they did not see why I could
go off and leave such a pretty wife
and child now Dollie you know I
do not always do as I should or as
well as I would if I always listened
to my dear little wife now I presume
I should have been with you had I
have waited to get your advice
We are now up in the woods
some three miles from Ft Lyon in a
real pretty plase and from what I can
learn we shall undoubtedly go into
winter quarters here we have got our
tent fixed up real nice bought us
a stove got bunks fixed up for
sleeping so that we shall be quite
comfortable and as will contented as I
can be away from you and Paul
write me if you got the money all
safe for if you have not I have got
a reciept from the express Co and can
get the money again. it does not
seem as though you was having such
cold weather up there for down here
we are havening warm pleasant sunny
weather and have not seen a flake
of snow. now dollie another fellow and we
aregoing out among the farmers and get
some milk and you know how well I like
it so you must excuse the shortness of my
scriblings but you must not do so
I believe I must copy a song for you.
I
[ ? ] thus to
[ ? ] said
as they sat beneath the shade
“Nows the time when now can see
wont you let me”” what! said them
“wear a garland for your hair
of roses red and lilies fair
Now my dear come grateful be over
Let me put my…What! said she
! In your bosom a sweet rose
Thus to her be sighed his vows
The amorous youth becoming hot
Immediately unbuttoned…What
his waistcoat…to admit the air
For well he strove to pleas his fair
The grateful girl repulsed him not
And presently he put his…What
Hat aside and with his lute
He played her many a witching note
then Sylvia said, unhappy loss
Far in this spot I lost my…What
Moral
nine months have palsed oer hill and glade
Since Tom on Sulvia lute had played
Again they sat beneath the shade
when Sylvia thus to Thomas said
I’m getting verry Stout you see
We soon will have a “what said he
it baby! Tom, take out your purse
You, I have to put it out to nurse
your vow to me you must fulfill
Oct. 11 to Nov. 9
rate there is something about it
that a true soldier can not help to
likeing it may be the changes or
excitement for there is a little something
new evry day and you know I was
always great for changes.
I dreamed with being with
you last night and that our
dear boy was dead it makes
verry uneasy to day. but still
I never was a believer in dreams.
I should always hate myself if
accident should happen to him
[illegible due to water damage]
leaving you as I have done.
and then a gain I always feel
that I have done no more than
my duty Dave Frost is sick
and in the Hospital I do not know
what is the matter with him
I went to see him to day but
he was a sleep and they would
not let me wake him
if you need all of the money
I sent you I would not pay
that to Father now for I
shall get another payment
before that is due but if you
do not I suppose it will make
no difference the troops are
all to be paid up by the
first of January let me
know if you send it to
him. how I wish I was with
you this quiet
[illegible due to water damage]
Sabbath and has been as pleasant
a day as the heart need wish the
boys are all feeling first rate we
have all been to church no I must
not say church either for it was
in a pretty pine grove with a carpet
for soft grass under our feet we
were formed in a square with our
Colonel Lieut Col commissioned +
noncommissioned officers + chaplain in the
centre. we have to take our Guns
with us our Chaplain is well
liked he visits us in our tents
and occasionally eats a cup of
bean soup with us
this evening our tent is well
lited and warm (we have get
us a stove) the boys have borrowed
a fiddle and we have some
firstrate singers in our squad
and they are having a jolly
time of it. how I wish you could
look in upon us I think you
would say that there was nothing so
verry bad about soldiering
but I suppose that when we
come to fighting there will
be nothing so verry pleasant
about that but we are all
prepared to do our duty
Charley Gregory has first got
a commissioned as second Lieut in
our Co he come out in his near
brig to day and made a good
appearance I hope I shall like
him better than I did for
an orderly seargent but I
suppose that will not make him
any worse because I did not
like him there I have written
more than half a sheet I
you will get tired of reading
such silly stuff in
[ ? ]
written + I will close
good evening and
lots of Kisses
yours ever
Jim
