Respected parents and friends

I have just returned from the

outposts of our lines up where our company has been on picket

duty for 24 hours past we had a grand good time we were

posted about five miles from camp we were posted near a

house which has been deserted by the owner and we went to

the house and took up our head quarters there he was I should

think a very rich man he is a decendant of one of the first settlers

of the State he left behind a great deal of furnature of different

kinds and a very large library composed of all sorts of good

books beds and bedding and a great many things to numerous

to mention he was a doctor he left a large number medical

books and a great many bottles of medicine and papers of

all kinds that doctors use if I could have some of them at

home I should like it I brought some of them to the the

camp and I guess every man brought in something old

books 200 years old one book something like a bible 200 years

old all kinds of books both ancient and modern if I could

make an assortment and get them home I should feel rich

it is strange to me that he schould leave so much behind,

the N.Y. boys got a pianno worth 400 or 500 dollars they got

three horse lods of things such as they wanted, I took a

blank boot this is one of the leaves that come out of

it I have got writing paper enough now to last me a great

while to write on We did not see any rebels to interfere with

us and we returned safe and in good order

[letter of Hiram Cash will continue on August 28]

Hiram Cash, Private, Co. K, 5th Maine

MSS 12916