Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/foreman-james-a/
Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Friday Morning
Camp Heintzleman March, 28
My Dear
What can I write to you
more than that I am well. I have told
you so often of the little incidents of
camp life that I am sure you must
long ago have tired of them
We are now changing our camp
evry few days each time getting a
little farther into the enemies country
but they keep evacuating and we
sometimes think they are not going
to give us a fight. camp life with
me has got to be a verry dull affair
indeed and I begin to sigh for the
old familiar faces away up in Michigan
how verry! verry often does the swett
face of wife and boy come to me in my
hours of sadness. for that I do have many
such hours I admit. I can see that I
was never intended for a soldier. I
was always to self willed and could not
bear to have a master, but here
in camp there is not an hour that
we can call our own. if we wish
to be away ever so short a time we
must go and ask leave of the
Captain. Yesterday afternoon Williams
another fellow and myself went down on
the beach at Hampton and picked
up all the oysers we could possibly
eat and we had enough left
this morning for our breakfast
they were all great fat
[ ? ]
fellows not such little pinched up
ones
that as we get up north.
Did I
you tell you in my last about
the ruins of Hampton a verry pretty
place it must have been. but the
rebels burnt it to prevent its falling
into our hands and making quarters of
it for our troops. it is said that it
has been burnt three times once by
the Indians in a verry early day again
by the British in 1814 and again some
six weeks ago. in an old church
yard there I saw several old tombs
stones over one hundred + sixty years old
but the most of them had been mutilated
and many of the tombs had been broken
open. but one stone I saw there in a pretty
quiet shady corner erected perhaps by kind
and loving friends certainly took my fancy
on it was engraved simply the name
Regina,
but as I was looking upon
it the thought came into my mind. what
a pretty name for our little girl
now I do not ask you to name her so
unless you like it your self
Dollie did you not give me credit for
a great eal more kindness towards you
than I was deserving of I never meant
to be verry ugly to you but many verry
many times I used to get corss and perhaps
very unkind but I know you have for
given me this. is it not a little strange
how we will sometimes come across old
acquaintances. since comeing here I have
seen a good many such and did not
even know that they were in the army
Edd and Dewain Dugalls are both in
the hospital at Fortress Monroe Dewain
has the gaundice verry bad and Edd the
measles. I believe thank Williams
is the greatest shirk I ever saw I
would not be afraid to bet that he
would never go into a battle
my deal I shall try and send you a letter
as often as I can but there is nothing
certain about there reaching you but how
can I get a long without yours when
they have come to me so regular each
week I got one from you a day or two
ago the first in two weeks but after
this I suppose we shall get our mail
pretty regular.
Ever yours Jim
