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Regiment: 1st Michigan Engineers
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Horse Cave Camp, Section
[ ? ] Northwestern R.R.
Tenn. Feb 28″ 1864
Dear Friend Herbert.
You will probably
think that I have neglected you.
But I have had several good reasons
for not writing before. I owed
you some money and wished to
send it the first time I wrote.
so I waited till the reciet of a
letter from home. which I did
not get till last thursday. and
to my surprise. there was no
money in it. My folks did not
wish to send me money by mail
untill they knew that their letter
came through all right. But it
dont matter, for I should not send
it as we expect to go to the front in a
week or two, if not in a few days, so that
it would be much safer to wait untill
I meet you that is if it will not
make it inconvienent. I have many
times felt sorry that I ever took it
of you. nevertheless I am very
thankful, and hope that I may some
time be able to return the favor.
I wish you had written to me for
I have longed to hear from you, but
that did not excuse me from writing
to you. Pardon the neglect, if you will.
How many times I have wished that
you had come with me, but perhaps
it was all for the best. I hope so.
I have often wished that you were
with us that you might by your
Godly example and your advise,
help me live a Christian life.
While you were with us. I too little
appreciated the privelege of your company
and made but little effort to imitate
your example and thereby learn
to become better. Where you had left
us, then I learned to love you.
Although our acquaintance was short, and
my mistake concerning your age, as I
have told you before, had caused me to feel
as though I could not claim you as a
Friend. but I am happy to say that I
have taken the liberty to overcome that
and with your permission I will claim
you as my Friend. May I? and with much
pleasure. How I wish that while we
were together I had tried to take knowledge
of you and learned to be good, but now
that we are separated, I begin to love you
as a Friend. and also as a Christian Friend.
While we were together, there was a great
deal to keep me full of excitement and life
and I fear that I did not live such a
Christian life as I ought to have done.
perhaps I often neglected my duty, but
now soldiering is getting to be less exciting and
I am trying to do better. I have prayed that
God would revive the work of Grace in my heart.
and I know that he has done it, during the past
week I have felt it in my heart. But still
I find many things to hinder me in my
efforts to live a Christian life, but Thank
God. He grace is sufficient for me. I
hope, Herbert, that you will pray for
me that I may be enabled to set a more
worthey example before the other boys and
my comrades around me.
Jimmy recieved your letter of the 21″
this evening but for that I would not
have known where to direct this letter
for I was not aware what company you
had been placed into, for I suppose that
“D” was full before you arrived.
I am glad you do not forget us.
We are getting out timber for a large
trussel work. there is but little more
to do, and it will be finished. there
we will probably join you at Chatanooga
I like Soldiering much better than I
expected to. I have had some of the most
pleasent days here that I have had for some long time. There is one thing
in particular that I thank God for, that is my very good health. I have
not been realy sick for a single day since I have been in camp. I am
sorry to say that poor Jimmy is
very sick. although I think
that he is getting better now.
he has had a severe attack of the
dissentaric, etc. I hope that he
will soon have his strength again.
Heddys health is pretty good. Dwight
Marvin is sick. has had the
mumps.
We have quite
a pleasant camp
on a hill
overlooking a
valley, indeed
it is very pleasent
the boys send
their respects
of course I do
the same
Jimmy says he
thinks he will answer your letter soon. I hope
you will get along well in all your affairs. I
feel sorry that you have been sick.
We also live well here. we dont have to eat Hard
Tack. live on biscuit and all the other good articles
that you mention. Good Bye. Hoping to meet you soon I
remain your true friend John Widdicomb
[On Envelope:]
Alfred Whitworth
Rockford
Kent Co.
Mich
