6th New Jersey Infantry - Union use of a Balloon - Killed at Williamsburg, VA

Item LTR-11485

Description

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


December 9, 1861
 
Dear father and mother,
 
I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and I hope that these few lines may find you the same.
 
We are in sight of the rebels and our fellows took a battery last night.  How the cannon did roar and they throwed bombs at our vessel, but it didn’t do any damage.  I wish I had a finger in the pie too.
 
I send my love to you all and would be glad to see you all again.  But I don’t want you to grieve after me.  I have got an Indian Rubber Blanket.  And tell Uncle Ry I don’t forget him yet and I send my love to him and I hope that I may see him again.  I don’t want you to send the blanket nor the box till I write again.  I am a going in the battlefield with a good heart and I hope that I may come out with a good heart.
 
I just received a letter from William and he has been in a fight.  And I haven’t received a letter for three weeks.  And I have to pay for the letters that I get now.  And there is a boy comes in from Washington with them and he says that he can’t afford to come for nothing.  Don’t write but once a week.
 
I saw the bombs burst in the air last night.  And we have got a balloon here and it goes up every day and the Rebels fire at it but don’t hit it.  We are on one side and they are on the other and they have their own fun to waste their selves and after a bit they stop.
 
So goodbye,
 
 
Samuel Norcross