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Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Cumberland Landing
Friday afternoon May 16th
My Dear
I was so glad to get a
letter from you this morning
[illegible line]
the first in a long time
Dollie I have got about 20 grs
of Luinine down me and my
head snaps so I cannot set
up but a little while to write
and my letter will be short
I have had the shakes
two nights and as we halted
there for a compile of nights I
and trying to sure myself and
think I will be all right
in the morning my dear
if you have fixed your mind on
my going home next mont you
will but meet with disappointment
for I must say that I can see
this war no nearer a close than
I did last winter to be sure
the
last great Battles will be
fought within the next month
but they are bound to keep it up
until all are killed I had no
idea of the strong secession senti-
-ment prevailing with evryboddy
until we penetrated so far in
there country a union man is
not to be found
how glad I am to learn that you
are getting do healthy again you
be real pretty and sweet wont
you when I go home to you I
will have lots of kisses for you and
Paul. how I want to see you
and paul I suppose it will be hard
to realize the change in him you
know he could not talk when I left
we will certainly visit Wesly
and Uncle Jas when I return
but if you wish to visit them
I would not wait so long
when is Orve going on his farm
give lone to all your folks how
I wish to return that I may do
something for them for there kind-
-ness to you let them be assured
that I think of it I should write
to them but you know I have
several to write too and as I write
to you evry week that will have to
suffice it generally casts about 8
cts now to write a letter 4 cts for a
stamps 2 for paper + two for envelopes
by the way poop firkin butter here is
selling for $1.00 per lb cheese 75 cts.
common ginger cookies 8 for 25 cts sugar
50 cts eggs 50 cts all eatables in
proportion. we have lived for
the last four days on dry
hard bread and that is simply
flour and water mixed by
machinery dried and baked and
nearly all that time drenched to the
skin in the rain and lay in the
mud of nights. I just lear by way of
one of our wounded men that saw Edd
at Fortress Monroe that he was going
home how mean he has acted with some
of the boys he has not even wrote one
of us a line one fellow he owed $12.00
and to another $3.00 the captain will have
to pay the $12.00 I presume he may put
on some style because he was appointed
Corporal but that amounts to nothing
as two fellows resigned and would
not have it the reason of his getting it
he knows nothing about hardships
for he has hardly been with us since
we landed at the Fortress we thought
we saw rather tough times be now see
that we were enjoying ourselves. I got a
letter from Alma this morning also and
must try and answer that also I see
that I have written more
than I expected and will close
I think Sibs old yaller will do
for a boat ride Yours Jim
