|
Envelope
Page 1
Page 2
|
Mrs. Hortense B. Follett
Galesburg, Henry County
Illinois
{Care of B.F. Hill}
----------------------------------
Pitman's ferry, Arkansas
Apr 25th, 1862
My Dear Wife,
I have an hour to spare and hasten to improve it by writing to
you. We left Camp Lippincott at Reeve's station last saturday and
marched all that day in a pelting rain and stopped at night, wet and
cold, but as soon as we could put up our tent and get some hot
coffee, bacon and hardtack we felt better. We (stand) ten miles from
where we started for two days, and it rains all the time. Our
train(?) of provisions consisting of six six mule teams
an 200 waggons and 6 mules on each waggon was stopped by
the flood, above the St. Francis, so we were put on half rations.
That was sunday and we are still on short rations. We have marched
this far at the rate of 15 miles per day thruugh the mud, and the
rain with no coffee sugar rice and only half enough hard bread,
bacon and beans. We waded through twelve creeks and rivers one day
coming just 15 miles. Our Quartermaster forced all the citizens
along the road to take their teams(?) and help draw our tents
provisions ect. (sic) As it is some of our mules are dead and others
about gone up. We arrived at this place la
yesterday about 1(?) marching 12 miles between 8 & 1 through the
mud and had to put up our tent in the mud & while it was
raining, but we went out and cut brush and laid under us put our
rubber blankets on it and though we were wet to the bone we slept
well till morning (sic). To day it is very pleasant and warm so we
are dry again. Some of our best men are sick but I am happy to
inform you that I and all the boys you know are well. I do not
complain of my hardships. A soldier has no business to complain. We
are within 20 miles of Pocahontas and have been ferrying across all
day and will probably leave here tomorrow. We have loaded one flat
boat with things and will send it down this river(?) which empties
into the white river just above P. This river is the Current(?)
river, so named on account of the swift current. It is about as wide
as the Illinois and is very ____. You spop spoke in
one of your letters about my sending you a sprig of mistletoe. I
wrote you that I did not know what it was, but there is lots of it
here. I will send you some in my next I have been out in a cane
break to day where the canes grow twelve to fifteen feet high.
Enclosed(?) I send you the drawing of the rattlers of a snake killed
by one of our boys. It is just the size and number. I have no time
to write more. Write as often as you can. I will write again from P.
I would like very much to see you and the children. Wont it be a
happy day when I get back? Good by my dearest wife,
John
|
