Potter, Charles H. – June 14, 1862

Michigan Civil War Collection


Click here for this soldier’s biography: https://micivilwar.com/authors/potter-charles-h/
Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry Battles Mentioned: Historical Figures: Camp Near Corinth June 14th 1862 Mississippi Dear Father Mother Sister & Brother I take this opportunity to write a few lines to you. there is two letters on the road now that I have not had my answer from you will get them before this of course the boys are all well as can be expected for such hot weather. we have left our camp at Boonville & are now stoping in the woods near Corinth for a day or two. on the way to a nice little Village called Inka. where they say we are agoing to stop and recruit our horse a month or two it does not. look much like being home by the fourth of July I guess they will keep us all of one year if not longer but I hope not I had rather be at home this kind of weather. there is so many sick ones living in camp I am afraid some of us will get sick yet if we dont look out I would like to be home long enough to get a good bowl of bread & milk is all that I would ask for. Jake Prine has been home on a furlow and just returned is well and sends his best wishes to you all. Le Grand Dean has gone to the River sick. Bert Spaulding is a driving 4 horse team is well & fat as a hog. About David Fanchers Death is something that I dont like to speak about it is an awful thing for one to die in such a place as this the way they bury a soldier is to wrap a blanket around them and put the body in the ground without any coffin at all it is hard to see one burried in this way but they cant do any better. although we done better [   ?   ] that for David & we done the best we could do. we hunted all one forenoon for some boards to make a coffin & could not find a bit in the afternoon we got a compt of hard bread boxes and nailed them together for a coffin we could hardly get nails enough to fix that but it made a box and that was all. he was burried in his new soldier cloths & his blanket company M. with the Chap- lain marched to the grave with the poor boy I never want to see any one burried in that way again David said he was ready to die I believe that was all he said we have got the grave marked so that it can be told very easy David was thought a great deal of by all the boys. When I commenced this letter I ded not think I would write half as much as I have written alreaddy it is nearly time I was bringing it to a close. Black Berries are getting quite ripe & there is lots of them evry where we go in this country. Lew Waterman & James Smith are cooking for the company now. Horatio McKee dont amount to shacks he is sick all the time & I can tell what ails him his Body lice are eating him up we can pick them from his cloth half the time. Chan is on guard to day. now you must write all the news evry thing that is going on. Give my best respects to all here is a kiss for           & a rap for        Write soon Ellda & one for Eddy   Harve & Ella     Charles H. Potter Good Bye Write Soon