100th New York Infantry - Captured at Drewry's Bluff

Item LTR-8610

Description

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


November 14, 1863
Morris Island, SC
Company A
100th New York Volunteers

Dear Wife and companion and children,

It is raining here this afternoon so we can’t drill. I will use the time in writing to you. I am quite well and I hope you are. I have not heard from you yet but hope to soon. For it seems a good while to wait and not to hear from one he prizes above all others in this world and then the children that I often think of too. I want to hear from you. I did not feel very well when I first came here. I drank their coffee and it did not agree with me. I bought me some tea and some cheese and now I am real smart. I had to get an order on the paymaster to get it. It will cost me something to live here but I will be saving as I can and sending you as much money as I can. But I think it better for me to same my health than to save a little money. For when I get home I can work again. I had the diarrhea real bad for a couple of days after I came here. After I commenced drinking tea and eating cheese I got well. The water here is very bad. Some of the boys say they would give one dollar for a canteen full of water from the springs they know of at home best. I have not come to that yet but I would like to go in into the pantry and take the food and take one good drink of fresh water as I used to do. But I must do without it at present. But I trust not long for there seems something tells me I shall not stay long in the army. But yet I may. God only knows how long. If we put our trust in him all will be for the best. I often think of you dear Libby and would like to kiss you all and stay with you. But if we put our trust in God and pray to him in faith he will bring us together again to enjoy each other’s company. So you must not be cast down for he will do all things for the best. I go to him and ask him to protect you through the day and the night. We did not realize the comforts and the blessings that we enjoy when I was at home. But I will not complain for it is all for the best. I should like to have you write how you feel on the subject. If you will and I think you will write me on that. I do not know how long it will take for a letter to go from here to you. But I will write twice a week when I can and you will get them some time and I want you to do the same. If they are a little old they are better than gold. There is not any news to write that I know of. For the soldier no more than the pig in your pen knows what is going on in the house. I do not know when we shall draw our pay but I think not long. For they get it here regular and the time is most up for it now. I do not want to have you think I have forgotten you and the children. There is not much to write to you now. Only I suppose you have had some snow there at home and had fine times in it. Not like weather is here, where it is like summer. It is warm and the rain that we have had here today is warm. But where I am on this island there is no subsistence in the land to grow anything but fleas and a plenty of them. This island is not worth one cent for a farm or anything else now. Adele, I want you to write a letter for Milford and for yourself and why I have no postage stamps to put on this letter and they can’t get them here. I shall have to send them and you will have to pay it until you send me some. They are still firing on Sumter so as to make it sound like war. I suppose.

Samuel Huntington to his wife Libby