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Regiment: 1st Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Washington
May 21st 1861
Friend Fred,
Having a few leisure moments to spare, I though I would improve my time in penning a few lines to you. I have served in the army one month and am alive and well yet. I received your letter last Sunday morning with much pleasure. I was very glad to hear from you and that you were all well. Your letter was forwarded from Fort Wayne to this place. Louis is out on parade this afternoon. Pap, Fred and I went down to the canal after two bushels of oysters in the shell. We got them for 50 cents a bushel. The Captain furnishes us with oysters for dinner.
We live very well here. John my cousin is chief cook. We are quartered on Pennsylvania Avenue in a large four story building about half way between the capitol and the white house. I have had a pretty good chance for visiting the city since I have been here. I have visited the Capital, the museum and the patent office and several other places worth seeing. The White House, Capital and patent office are all filled with soldiers. There is about forty-five thousand quartered in this city now. A good share of our regiment have put down their names for the war providing it does not exceed three years. The most of our company have put down their names. Louis and myself with the rest. We are not about to serve that time until we take the oath. We can tell how we like the soldiers’ life when we serve the three months term of enlistment. The New York 7th Regiment is going home this week. They only enlisted for thirty days. We shall probably go into camp in a few days. The Cap thinks it will be tomorrow. The government intended to send us to Fortress Monroe but I guess it has given it up at present. We cannot tell at present where we shall be sent. I don’t know but I shall like here as well as any place we can be sent to. Our journey down here was a very pleasant one to me. We came by the way of Cleveland, Pittsburg, Harrisburg and Baltimore. Our Colonel thought we should probably have trouble going through Baltimore but were not molested. We were prepared to give them fits if they had tried. Baltimore is all union now or at least it has the appearance of it now. The stars and stripes are floating over different parts of the city. Our company has just come in from parade and I shall have to stop writing. Give my best respect to your folks. This from you friend,
M. L. Ten Eyck
P.S. Write as soon as convenient. Tell our folks that I am well. My best respects to my friends in Blissfield.
Address
Company K
1st Regiment
Michigan Infantry
Washington, D.C.
Capt Graves returns the compliment
