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Regiment: 1st Michigan Engineers
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Thursday morning
Nashville Tenn
Aug 10th 1865
Sister Met
How are you this pleasant
morning as I havent got to
do any thing to day. I think
that I cant improve my time
any better than in answering
your very welcomed letter which I
recd day before yesterday your letter
found me well and up on my
bunk fast
[ ? ] and I hope
this will find you the same
I have just had a horse back
ride this morning.
We dont have
scarcely any thing to do
now days, we work by relief
half of the Co work every other
day? The work is pretty much
done here now the orders are
to have the work all done
and the tools turned over this
week but where we will go
next is more than is can tell. I dont know
whether it will be home or
farther south but I hope it
will be towards home for I
am tired of playing Soldier.
I should like to attend that
picnic so I would but as I cant
I expect that I shall have to
make the best of it and stay at
home like a good boy. I was
down town to meeting last sunday
and it all most made me
home sick and if I was to go
again I guess it would make
me quite home sick. I will be
glad when we get ready to leave
here for I never had the time
pass away as slow as it has
since we came here. I had rather
be on a march twice over, for
for then we could see some things
[ ? ] every day but here it is
one over and over. We have hard
tack and meat and coffee one day
and the next day we have a
change and have coffee and meat
and hard tack, but I guess that
I shall live through it dont you
[ ? ] met I wish that you would
have father send me $10 dollars if he
has got it to share, for I am
about straped and I dont know
how long it will be before we
shall get pay. I have always said
that I would never send home after
money but I cant help it for
I cant live on such army rations
as we drain here that
[ ? ] so
I wish that I could think
of some thing to write but
there isent any thing going
on to amount to to any thing
there is a circus here it came
yesterday and showed last night
and is to show to night and
tomorrow night I guess that I
shall go down to night the
rest of the boys are all well
I cant think of any more
to write this time, excuse this
poor letter and write soon and
I will try and do better next
time write very soon Met
from you Brother Sabe
[On Envelope:]
‘Never Again.”
Broken the golden cord,
Served the silken tie;
Never again will the old days come,
Darling, to you and I.
Dead the beautiful Past!
Scattered around its bier
Pale thoughts lie thick, and memories
Of days that were so dear.
Memories? Fold them up–
Lay them sacred by;
What avails it to dream of the Past
The Future! For you and I!
Broken the silken cord,
Severed the golden chain,
Linking us with the beautiful days
That never can come again!
1864
Miss Mariette Hutchins
Berlin, Ottawa, Co.
Michigan