Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/foreman-james-a/
Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Fort Lyon Oct 28th
My Dear
Yesterday morning I thought I
would write you a great long letter and
as good a one as I could but we have
so many shirks our company that
I had to go on guard and to day
I am feeling tired and sleepy and
were it not that I promised to write
to you evry week I would not write
to day. with the exception of this I
am feeling quite well
You must not write that you
feel so bad for it makes me
feel discontented and I do not want
to feel so far I have tried to do my
duty. but still I hardly wish to tell
you so either for I want you to write
me all of the particulars. and then when
you tell me how Paul is growing and
how cunning he acts it makes me home
sick but I want you to write it all.
I do not know but I shall write
the same things twice for I do not
know what I have written from
this place we are still at work on
our large fort that I told you of
we have got twelve guns mounted
now some of the weighing as high
as 8000 pounds it hardly seems as
though men would build such destr-
-usctive emplements to kill eachother with
but so it is.
I was up to Washington the other
day and was in the Patent office Capitol
Building Smithsonian Institute and
I must say that for once I
have been astonished I do not think
a person could go all through the capital
in less than a day those was almost
evry kind of paintings and stautusy (but
there is no use in trying to describe it) in the patent
office I saw the old original declaration of
Independence clothes worn by Washington
and Jackson his old portfolio camp chest
sword and other such articles. the old printing
press used by Ben Franklin a piece of the Flag of
Pigarro and also a piece of the shroud of Cartey etc.
also specimens of dress and other other things from
evry part of the world those from I open I
think are ahead of any thing in our own
country.
I was down in the Marshall
house in Alexandria where Col Ellsworth
was shot last spring enclosed I send
you a piece off the place where he fell
Dewain Ingalls said that the
supervisors had raised 2500 dollars
for the benefit of soldirs wives all I
can say is do not be afraid to get
what go can Mrs. Ingalls has again
got an order of twelve Dollars you
know there is no harm in getting
what you can we will get our
pay now soon. I think if you would
be contented keeping house you and
Jane had better do it dave thinks
so too well I have winter about
all I can out of stamp and money is
out of thequestions in this reg
and if you have no money for
postage I suppose I must wait
but shall be verry savey
I look for a letter evry
week yours ever Jim
Direct as usual
ask the boys and girls to write
to me my love also to your
Father and Mother
