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https://micivilwar.com/authors/foreman-james-a/
Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Munsons Hill Sunday Eve Oct 6th
My Dear
I believe I promised you a letter
each week but really I have nothing
to write about this evening I wrote you
last week you will doubtless get the
letter tomorrow
We heard a nice Sermon this after-
noon from our chaplain he is a good speaker
and a splendid appearing man he is six
foot high and about 50 years old
he invited us all to visit him at
his tent that he might get acquani-
-ted with, each of us what would
you think to see a thousand out in
an open field each armed with
a loaded musket and all standing
listening to a sermon
wonder what you and Paul were doing
this quiet lovely day I do not know as
I ever saw so beautiful a day. how I
wished you were here to see the way
we
were are living here and to
go see our pretty grove that I have
told you of before.
I am now laying down on my
blanket a piece of candle in my bayonet
which is stuck in the ground Jane is
setting near me on his knapsack with
his head down two or three are singing
an old Methodist hymn another is
reading an old Detroit paper. but it
would be a difficult job to tell what
they are all doing and I will
stop we have been here now over
a week we did not expect to stay
here over a day when we came we
now have marching orders for tomorrow
but I hardly think we will go. we
have been chopping for a couple of days
in fact there is a little of everything to
be done. if anyone fancys that a soldier
has an easy time they had better not
try it. our officers were all out with us
and our 1st Lieutenant had an axe
and helped us we have a good lot
of officers in our company they eat
the same kind of rations that we have and
will divide the last cent
Sam Christopher is verry sick and
they do not think he will live until morning
poor fellow it seems to bad to come
so far away from home and then to die
in an army hospital. I would rather
be shot in Battle
One man in company F got shot
through the shoulder to day it was not
known whether it was by one man
or the enemy the men are verry careless
about shooting we have verry strict orders
against shooting around camp but
they will do it.
Dan Wade talks of writing to Trude he
told me that she wanted him to write
to her if he writes tell her to answer poor
fellow he has written ever so many letters
but never gets an answer he is swearing
a blue streak. the boys are down on
Edd they think he puts on then too much
style and he would have got several
whippings before this had we been
in any other place alma writes to me
that aunt Lany says he is the bravest
one that went from that neighborhood
I am going to Washington tomorrow with
the mail if we do not move if I do I
am going to see the president. I am
getting so that I feel first rate I
have been quite unwell along back
It is morning we are going away as usual we are
going to be the advance regiment we are going
down on hunting creek below Alexandria
I had to laugh yesterday Hank Williams
told me that his wife Mrs Ingalls Lib Smith
were all going to have little fellows. what a squaling
mess there will be for breakfast this morning you
will probably have a good cup of coffee good bread
and butter pie and the other fixings while us fellows will
have a tin cup of coffee (muddy) a little
[ ? ] in it some
dry bread and piece of fat back with the ground
for a table for we have learned to take things as
they some and her manage to get along just rate be
sure and write soon direct same as before Jim
I promised you some stamps but could get
but one
