45th Pennsylvania Infantry - NEW

Item LTR-11762

Description

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



Fort Dayton, Otter Island
April 13, 1862
 
 
Dear wife,
 
I take this pleasure to inform you that I am well at present and hope these few lines may find you in the same state of health. The boys are well at present. I just came off of Pickett this morning, and Bill is on Pickett to Fenwick Island. The company is up there for the day to Pickett, and they will be done tomorrow morning.
 
Sammy has written a letter to Grandpa in York County. Let me know if you got that pack that I sent to you in alligator skin. Let me know if you got those things in all your letters that I sent to you. Let me know if Heath has got religion and if she belongs to Sharloh Church. Don't forget.
 
We have plenty of hard times again. We have to drill six hours a day, and three of them we have to drill with the knapsack on. The colonel is trying to get us in a brigade, and that is the reason that we have to drill so much. He thinks that we will have to march on the mainland. I think we will march towards Charleston. I think if Charleston is taken, that we will be in there. I think Savannah is taken, for we hear heavy firing these couple of days, but we have no news yet of it.
 
It is clear here today. This is Sunday. Let me know if it is clear there at home the 13th of April.
Let me know what you think of the war, as for the truth, and do you think it will be over soon? What is the news about town, about the war, and what the folks think about it? Let me know what my father is doing now and your father. Let me know now if Samuel Reese lives in town yet and if he is a Mason. Now my ears are burning. I think you must be talking about me. Let me know if you were. Let me know how you pass a Sunday away at home. What do you do to pass the time away? I pass it away thinking about you.
 
My dear Mary, you are never out of my mind. I think all the time about you. I only wish that I had you here with me. Let me know if you would like to be with me here. I wouldn't mind to be any place if I had you with me. I could live with pleasure but if I get home. I think that we can live with pleasure. Don't you think so, Mary? Let me know. If they would let me alone, I wouldn't be here, I would be with you at home, but I had no pleasure. You had no pleasure too, and that is true. Mary, don't you think I would be at home if they had let me? Let me know what you think about it. Don't forget to let me know it in your next letter. Be sure and let me know it, my dear Mary.    
 
Let me know if John Marcus sent my money home to Jane, or if he kept it and spent it. I wish we would leave this island, for it is a lonesome place, and the snakes are getting so bad that we kill one every couple of days.
 
I would like to go to Charleston or someplace on the mainland where we can see some things. The peaches are getting pretty big. They will soon be ripe, and there are figs on Fenwick Island. Let me know how your stove is to cook in, if it is a good one.
 
If you want to hear from the 45th, you must get the Columbia spy. Let me know if you get the spy and if there's anything in the papers about us. I wish I was at home and had one good kiss from your sweet mouth, or if I could hold you in my arms. I don't know what I would give, but I would love to hold you in my arms as I used to. Hadn't we good times when I went to see you? Do you think you would get married again if I wouldn't get back again? Let me know if you would. Be sure and don't forget it, but I guess if I would get back, you wouldn't be single long. You would look out for a man, don't you think you would? Let me know in your letter.  
 
Don't forget you need not show this letter to anybody. If you want them to hear from me, you read it to them. You can skip what you don't want them to hear. Let me know if you give your letter to anybody to read. Let me know in your next letter. Don't forget you can put anything that you want to put in, for nobody sees your letters. 
 
Let me know if Bill Reese is in Washington. I wrote to him, but I didn't get an answer from him.
I wrote to Dan Reese, but I didn't get any answer. Ask him if he got my letter that I sent to him. I don't know hardly what to write.
 
Send me a newspaper once in a while. I got all those that you sent to me, and send me a pink Siseby paper. You can get them for six cents. Get somebody to fetch it for you from Columbia or Lancaster. Let me know if you draw any money yet from the county. Don't forget, don't forget anything that I said you shall answer in this next letter. I guess I must bring this letter to a close.
 
Give my mother my best respects and love on all of my inquiring friends. Let me know how my mother is getting along and if she is sickly yet. I would like to see her, but I hope to see them all and you especially, my dear Mary. I must bring my letter to a close by sending you my love to you, my dear Mary. 
 
No more at present, but still remain your true husband. John W. Bookman.
 
To his wife, Mary Ann Bookman
Mountville, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
 
John W. Bookman
Otter Island, South Carolina
 
Let me know what Mary writes, says about her baby. Let me know if you've seen it and what you think about it.