Fort Tillinghast Va Jan 24[sic]
/63
(Sunday eve)
My Dear Priscilla
I suppose you were
much disappointed by not receiving
a letter from me last night I did
not write the middle of the week
as I usually do, We have had a great
deal to do this week, in the shape
of fatigue duty, inspections, drilling
the recruits, and our regular drills
all of which has taken up my time
throughout the day, and at night I
was tired, and besides that, I had no
candle, We dont draw any candles
now, but burn Kerosene in lamps
hung along through the centre of
the barracks, they are hung high and
we cant see to write by them, I
am on guard again to-day, so I can
have a candle to write by to-night.
We burn them all night in the
guard house, –no blowing them out at Taps.
[page 2]
I have received two letters from you this
week, for which I am very much obliged,
the first of date Jan 14th, the last Jan 19th
I am very sorry to hear that you had the
toothache
^at the time of writing, you know how much
I sympathize with any one who is
afflicted in that way and consequently you
can imagine how very bad I felt when
I learned that you were so afflicted,
I went over to Washington on Wednesday
last, I did not get my ration money as I
expected to, – the signature of the comp
any commander was not put in the
right place on my furlough, so I had
to bring it back to camp and get it
re-signed. I shall go over again as soon
as I can get another pass, I did not
stay in W more than an hour, I tried
to get back to camp and back to W on
that day again, but did’nt have time,
I saw no one that I knew in W.
My ration money will amount to
only about six dollars, but a half
[page 3]
of a loaf, is better than none, I reckon,
We did expect to be paid off before this
time, We hear now that we are to be
paid off this week, sure, I shall send
you my money as soon as we are, I
shall not keep my money to trade on
that is “played out” for the very good
reason that my very much beloved, (in a [?])
Col Thomas R Tannatt has issued
an order, forbidding all trafficking
by soldiers in the regiment, and,
giving the exclusive privilege to
the Sutler, No doubt some folks are
interested in Sutlering as well as
in Military, –Dont advise anyone
to enlist in the _ _ _ regiment
We are now having some very fine
weather, the snow is all gone, the
frost is all out of the ground, and the
mud nearly all dried up, To-day has
been one of the finest days that ever
I saw at this time of the year, I
am still enjoying the very best of
[page 4]
health. What a blessing it is to enjoy
good health I wish everybody felt
as well as I do at the present time,
All that I have to trouble me just
now is my appetite which is not
much better than it was when
you last saw me, You will no
doubt remember that my appetite
was very poor when you last saw
me at home, but I will not com-
plain, for no doubt there are many
poor fellows who have no better
appetites than I have, _ _
Many veterans have returned to the
regiment withing a few days, We
have two here in the guard house
from Co. c. who happened to be
about a day behind their time, in
getting back to camp, so they were
“churched” into the guard house, and
will be court martialed soon, that
is one of the inducements for
reinlisting. Who would’nt be a
veteran,
[remainder of letter from Sgt. Robert P. Mansfield, Co. M, of the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, is missing]
MSS 1242
