24th Neww York Cavalry - NEW

Item LTR-11774

Description

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



In the field near
Harrisonburg, Virginia
October 21, 1864
 
 
My dearest friend Isaac and Myria,
 
I take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am in good health, thanks be to God for his kind mercies to me. I hope those few lines will find you all enjoying good health.
 
I think it's rather strange you don't write to me. Perhaps you have forgotten me, or you're tired of writing. I have not forgotten any of you, nor never will, as long as life remains. And if you are quite writing it is all right, but I thought I would write you another and would like to hear from you and all the folks around there. I would like to hear from James Beard. I have written to him twice since I saw him at Petersburg, but never got an answer. If he is well, let me know; if anything has happened to him, I would like to know. I feel sorry for so many of my dear friends and comrades that are gone, but Isaac, we have got to go sooner or later and hope they have made a happy change.
 
We have had very hard times since we have been in this valley and some hard fighting, but to hear word of it in the papers, perhaps more than I could tell you. We had a mighty hard fight on the ninth of September. It lasted all day, but we drove them about 20 miles, but with pretty heavy loss on both sides. We had another on the twenty-second. It was the biggest skedaddle I had ever seen.
 
This is the splendor of everything here: sheep and hogs, honey, cornbread, and buy apples and peaches and grapes any quantity. There's plenty of fowl of every kind, and they let the boys forage all they can. You had better believe they go in.
 
Isaac, I would like to see you very well. I hope we will be spared to meet once more and Myria. I think of you very often and would like to see you.
 
The weather has been pretty warm days and rather cold nights. We had laid still for two days now, and they say we are going to get our pay, and I think we will.
 
You give my kind love to Thomas and Ellen. Tell them that I would be glad to meet them and have a good old time. Myra, how has your mother and father stand it? I know you all feel sorry about Charles. I do myself, it makes the tears drop when I think of the dead boys that are gone.
But we must put up with all those things. I must close by wishing you all well. No more, but remain your affectionate friend.
 
Good-bye, yours truly, 
James Whiteford
 
Write if you feel so inclined. Good-bye.