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Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Mariette Hutchins
Camp near [ ? ]
Aug. th 9th/62
Dear friend it was with pleasure that I received your letter of the first which I got last
night. I had been expecting a letter from you for a long time but I suppose from your
circumstances that you do not get much time to write or anything else. I was very sorry
to hear of the death of your Brother which I did not know until I got your letter. I heard
of the death of your aunt from Mr. Moody. My brother is almost the only one that writes
to me and never much about the neighborhood affairs. I think that you have had your
share of trouble in the last 18 months. I hope this will find you all well. Yours found
me in the hospital but I have returned to the Company today. I have been sick
about three weeks but I am gaining pretty fast now. The weather is very warm if it
were not for the wind which springs up every day we could scarcely live. I have been in
three or 4 skirmishes since I last wrote you but I have never been hurt yet. The two
armys are laying almost still now for the weather is so warm that the men can’t
stand to march in the heat of the day. The most that goes on is an ocasional scout of
the cavalry. They go principly in the night. I think there will be lively times out
there when they begin to get up the new call for 600,000 men. I am sorry about the
pull back we have got at Richmond, it was to bad, but our army is sadly reduced.
My Company left Grand Rapids with 94 men it has about 20 now. The whole
regiment today could not muster more than 300 fighting men, it left Grand Rapids
1200 strong last fall. Lauris Fenton is come back he looks as well as can be. We have
to pay 25 cents a quart for milk here, there is almost no potatoes or any vegetables to be
got here the people dond raise any such things hadly atall. The women young and old
chew tobacco even to little girls 8 and 10 years old, all chew. I was greatly amused
one day that myself and one more of my company went into a house where there was two
young women. He chewed tobacco and so did they, he asked one of them for a chew she
put her hand in her pocket and pulled a huge plug of tobacco and reached it to him, he
took a chew and reached it back but I must close this letter for my arm is getting tired. I
am not very strong yet. I don’t know if you can read half of my scribbling. I think you
are perfectly excusable for not writing. I hope you will answer this as soon as is convient
for you
from your friend
Thomas Wasson
P.S. my address is Thomas Wasson Co. C. 2
nd Mich Cavalry via Cairo
