28th Wisconsin Infantry - NEW

Item LTR-11841

Description

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



Headquarters, Company I, 28th Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
 
May 28th, 1864
 
Dear Mother,
 
I once more take my pen in hand to inform you of my health. It is good nowadays, and I am thankful for it. I hope that these few lines will find you the same. I received your last letter in due season from the time it was mailed. It got here in 12 days, and that is quick for a letter to come here.
 
There ain't much news to write, but I hope that there will be lots of news before long. I have to write something, but it is hard to think of what to write to fill up the sheet. But we will get through with writing in less than three years more. I will be glad when it comes, and I think it will be in a short time. I think that the Home Guards will do some good, for they can garrison places, and the old troops can take the field. It will be a hard time, but I think that we will be the conquerors in the end. It will be a grand thing to have our country free once more, and we can enjoy our home and friends once more.
 
I received those socks that you bought and sent to me, but I thought that you would knit them and then send them. I can wear them out, I reckon, and there is a right smart chance for our staying here for a while longer yet. I think that we will have to go, but don't know when, and we may not go at all. I hope that we may not go, for we have got good quarters here, and we might as well stay here as to let some other one stay here.
 
We are having good times here now, and I hope we will have as long as we have to stay in the service. You said that you had sold old spec for $30. I think that you got a good price, you said that you got some groceries, and you paid $2 a pound for tea. Down here, it is $3.50. And you must have some coffee. I can't drink much, for we have had so much of it that I am sick of it.
And you know that I like tea, and I must have some. But we can sell our coffee for 60 cents a pound, that is burnt and that is green. We can get a dollar a pound. Our squad have got a requisition and got it from the commissary, and it costs a dollar and a half a pound. But I will have to stop for this time. 
 
Give my best respects to all. Write as soon as you get this.
 
From your son, 
 
D.W. Buttles, to his mother. 
 
Write all new news.
 
Dear Brother Ezra, I once more take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines will find you the same.
 
I was sorry to think that Dan did not train for. I think that it would be the best thing that he will be, but he is getting old and he ain't running much. I should think by this time there wasn't enough coming to me so prior for him without me sending money to pay for him. We haven't been paid off in over five months. I think that we had better be. It would suit the whole of us very well when we do get paid off.
 
I will send some home, but I don't know how much, but some I would like to have you see how much that was coming to me from the years that I worked caring for him. I would like to know how many months of it was for me, and then how many for him. They had ought to pay them before this time.
 
And now you can tell how well he's done that last summer. When he gets the papers, he can get my half, and what he can't get in money, he had better get a note for it. Then we will stand a chance to get it.
 
I would like to be there and help settle up with Benson. I think I should have half of the money and half of the notes if he gets them. That would be fair, but I think there will be some shenanigans about that when he settles up, but I hope not.
 
I would like to have you look at it if you can, and get Dan to go with you. I think that Dan will see that the sting will be done fair for Dan. He'll see to it himself if you say anything to him about it.
 
I will have to stop for this time. The mail comes this morning, but no mail for me, but I can't, stand it. I can't get one when you write. Write all the news and how you get along. No more for this time.
 
From your brother, 
 
D.W. Buttles 
 
To Ezra Buttles
 
Dear Sister,
 
I once more take my pen in hand to write a few more lines to let you know that I am well and glad to hear that you are the same. I am well and hope this will find you the same. I am glad to hear that you have got through working for Frank Smiles, for I was afraid that you would make yourself sick, and that won't pay you for doing it. You must not work too hard. If you do, you will be sick again.
 
You had not worked very hard. You must help your mother and not work out, for you and be healthy enough to work out. I would like to see Harriet's little children; take good care of them if you don't do it anymore.
 
Tell Amelia that I can't write to her this time; how she must write to me if I don't to her. We can't expect that I am to write to her every time, and tell David that he must work and help Ezra, but he must not work too hard.
 
Tell him to learn to play on that drum, and when I get home, I can have him play and I can march. We will go out and recruit rabbits and all such things that will suit our sash.
 
No more this time. 
 
This from your brother and friend, 
 
D.W. Buttles
 
Give my best respect to all and William. Especially, I would like to hear from him if he has got some time too that he can write.