35th Pennsylvania Infantry - Brevet Brigadier General

Item LTR-11376

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages, written in period ink.


Camp Opposite
Fredericksburg, Virginia
 
June 5^th 1862
 
My Dear Martha,
 
I now take up my pen to inform you that I received yours of May 31^st this morning and was glad to hear that you were all well and getting along as usual.  You wrote that you rather expected we had moved away from here but somehow, we are here yet.  And I do not see any chance for us to make a move very soon.  As there has been a great fresh water down this way.  We had built three bridges across the Rappahannock River and after the heavy rain on Tuesday, they were all swept away and it is now hard to tell where they had been built.  Except the rail road bridge.  There are two spans of it standing yet.  I suppose we will have a good time building again.  We have about two regiments on the other side.  I think if they should be chased with the rebels that they would have a good time getting across to the side.  We have not heard much about Stonewall Jackson lately.  But from what I can learn, he has got away from our men and I suppose he is making his way good enough to Richmond to give McClellan fight.  But will find that he has a different man to deal with then when he met Banks.  The contraband are coming in here by the dozens every day.  If any person wanted to get some of them, he would not have much trouble.  Together at least one thousand in about ten days.  There is a little yellow boy here that I have a notion to send up to join.  He is about ten years old.  Is quite smart.  I think he would make a good boy.  Burgess is talking about sending a little wench up to London for his wife.  
 
Everything is mighty dull down here.  I do not know what is going to be done.  We have been lying here expecting sometimes to move on and then at other times we hardly know what will be done.  
 
I wrote to you the last time that I thought I would send you some money.  I do not know just what time I will send it.  But I think not for a few days.  I will write to you when I send it.  I will send you two hundred dollars.  I would have sent it yesterday, but the bridges are swept away and I could not get across to Fredericksburg.  
 
I believe I have nothing more to write to you at this time.  But to tell you that I am well and getting along about as usual and hoping, when you receive these lines, they may find you all well.
 
Yours,
 
William D. Dixon