Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/gavett-edward/
Regiment: 4th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Washington City DC
March 19th 1865
Dear Uncle Joh & Aunt
Caroline & All the friends
it is Sunday & having nothing
else to do and being lonesome
I concluded to write you a few
lines thinking a letter from
a soldier might be acceptable
I am well at present & hope
this will find you enjoying
the same blessing Our Regt
is brokn up into detatchments
and is doing duty in the city
of Washington & at Camp
Distribution Va my company
is doing duty at sixth & seventh
street whares over government
property the government boats
for city point and Bermuda
hundred leaves sixth street
wharf every day with men
going to the front to reinforce
the army of General Grant
& he needs them now if ever &
I only wish I was able to go
too but I have served over three
years already & have been through
four campaigns & in nine ba
ttles besides enduring the prevations
& hardships of being a prisoner
in the city of Richmond for
nearly three months and my
constitution although it was
good once is nearly gone I cant
stand fatigue and laying out
as I used to so you see they
have made an invalid of me
I have pretty good times here I
go on guard one day out of three
& we have inspection and one
hours drill every day we get
enough to eat now since we
have been by our selves & I hope
we shall stay here I have got
two years and twenty three days
to serve yet but I can stand
it if sickness or nothing wrose
don’t get hold of me & I try
to take care of myself the best
I know how & I find I am
getting a great deal better
than I was when I was put
into the corps & hope to be strong
& healthy by the time I am
discharged from the service I
am trying to save all the
money I can to go to Wisconsin
and settle with my little family
and try to build them up a home
that they can call their own
for the little while that we have
to stay in this world of hard
knocks I aint the same Ed
that you once used to know
and that every body used to
hale to see a coming I am a
man now and have learned some
lessons by experience that have
cost me dear but they were cheap
in the long run I would like to
see you all verry much but I
cant so you must write to me when
you can. Poor aunt Jane how
I puty her poor woman she has
worked hard to live and bring
up her little family and now
she has lost her companion it
is hard but I hop it is all for
the best Uncle Wesley was a good
man but he suffered much &
I hope he is at rest poor man
I got a Democrat the other day
& spent all day yesterday in reading
at please tell me who sent it
I wrote to Grand Father some time ago
but haint got an anser yet I want
you to write to me & I will answer
every time send your address
& give my Love to all the
relatives I ever remain your
Affectionate Nephew
Edward Gavett
