Fort Tillinghast, Va. Nov 9/62
Dear Priscilla,
I mailed you a letter, Friday
Morn (Nov 7th) telling you of the arrival of the box,
all things in good order, I also received two
letters from you, dated Oct 31st, and Nov 2d
the last containing the freight bill for the
box, I have never had any trouble about any
of the boxes you have sent, nor anything
to pay on them, Last night I received
a letter from you dated Oct 8th You will
probably remember it, when I tell you that
it was written on the evening of your return
from Cambridge, Boston, and Chealsea
It is also the letter that informs me
of the accident to Ernie, I do’nt know
where it has been all this time, (it also
contained three postage stamps, so I am
nine cents the richer, unexpectedly,) We
are now having some very cold weather,
now is the time that I can appreciate the
Quilt, Last Friday we had a very severe
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north east snow storm, it commenced to
snow about nine A.M. and continued
very severe, and driving, all day, we had
about four inches on a level, Saturday
it cleared away and so did the most
of the snow, there is still some left
to-day, (Sunday,) Sergeant Earp is quite
sick with the Dumb Ague, he has been sick
for the last fortnight, I pity him, for it is
a great deal worse than the Fever and Ague,
I think too that he is very much disappo-
inted in not receiving the appointment
of 2d Lieut, in our company, it makes
him low spirited, and consequently
he do’nt get along very well in his sick-
ness, We are having a very good time
to-day, it is a raw cold day, we have a
good fire in the stove, we have plenty
of Potatoes (that a Vermont Regmt left
when they went on the advance) some
are frying, some are boiling, and some
are bakeing them, Those Pickled Tom-
atoes that you sent are very nice, they
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go good today with our baked beans,
I thought that I wrote to you some days
ago, that Co. C. (Capt Draper) had gone
to Harpers Ferry, they went there two
weeks ago yesterday, I dont know whether Ch
enworth went with them or not, Three
men from our company got their discharge
papers last Friday and have gone home
Two of them belonged in Quincy
and one in Haverhill, they were all
sick and have been so for months,
They say now that we shall not be paid
off before the twentieth of this month, I do’nt
think we shall, before that time, if we do
then, I hope we shall not be kept out of
it any longer, for we as well as our fam-
lies at home, want a little money, and
can’t get along much longer without
it, We heard to-day that Burnside had
taken the command of the Army in
place of McClellan, I don’t believe
it, I guess its a camp story. Banks we
hear, is going to Texas, with his command
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and that the 14th Regmt is going with
him, We however, “do’nt see it” in that light,
If I mistake not Bank’s command has
already gone there, it will do however
for another camp story, To change the
subject, I am now going to wash some
Potatoes and boil them for my supper,
I can tell you that they go good, with
pepper, salt, and some of that very nice
butter that Ellen made, You can’t
imagine how nice that butter tastes
to me, I would’nt sell it for two dollars
a pound, I’m going to write a letter to Ellen
and fill a whole sheet in praise of that
butter, Those two nice shirts that you sent
I have not yet tried on, but I know they
will fit, by the looks of them, I shall try
one of them to-night, I do’nt think of any-
thing else to write about now, If I have omitted
anything you would like to know, please write and tell
me, Give my love to all friends, kiss our darlings
for me, and ever believe me, yours in love
Robert.
Robert, an unidentified soldier form Lynn, Mass, in Co. M. 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery
MSS 1242