William A. Clark

1862

Baltimore Sept 27^th

 

Dear Father Mother Brothers and sisters as I had been excused from duty to day on account of being a little off of the hooks I thought I would write a few lines and let you know that I am in the land of the living I have been helping hedge the fort two or three days and was in the well ½ a day you do not know what well so i will try and explane the matter you sea the well where we get water to do our coocking with is about as far from the camp as from your house to the lime kill and two men from each company has to fetch a bout 100 pails of water a day that is 50 pails a piece for the two men so the Colonel sayed the men had better get to gether and dig a well so they commenced and the second day in the after noon i thought i would go and help so i went and at night we had it about 10 ft deep and 12 ft acrost that night i catched / a little cold and it made me feel stiff so i went to the doctors and he gave me some liniament for to rub on my legs and shoulders and gave me some kind of liquid to take for my cough So he sayed I had better keep a little still to day so as not to get swetty and catch any more cold and he sayed i would be all wright by to morrow. in the day time the weather is as warm here as it was up home the fourth of July but / the nights is cool and damp we have some dues that would wet the ground so that it looks as if it had rained it does not dry off from the tents untill 9 or 10 o clock. Now I will give you the some of the fun we had thursday we heard that the 23 Regiment had come to this city so the Capt sayed those that was not on duty might get ready and he would march them down to the city So the boys strapt on theyer cartrage boxes and bayonet belt grabed their gun and was in the ranks quicker than they ever was before and was off for the Baltimore & Ohio RR Deapot the distance about 6 miles we arived at the Depot about 10 oclock while there Major Brady came down there while he was there lutenent Dikeman came along and called Major to go and drink with him so the major left his horse and Sam and me hired some blacking of a boot black and Sam blacked his horses feet all nise and I braded his main so when the major / came out Sam kicked him for a quarter and another fellow kicked him for a sixpence for holding his horse so the major considered he was sold so he pulled out his pocket book and gave him a dollar to treat the party so the company got a drinck on it. then we went down to the station and found the 23 regament had not started from home but the 23 N Jersy was there also the 33 N York 120 Pensylvania and 400 or 500 convalessents from the hospittles they came from round about washington there is about 75.000 troops in and around this city and almost every train brings in more. There was 1.100 / secesh prisners went through the city of Baltimore the other day they was the ragedest dirty poores looking set of men that you or any other man or woman saw you tell any body that wants to stick up for secesh just come to this city and they will soon allter their mind I tell you the secesh around here are almost starved that is some of the leading rufs in the city. In canton it is the nastiest place you ever saw the swill milk stables and all the hog pens hen roosts slaughter houses and all the nasty stuff that is naturyly around a city is in this place it being the out skerts of the city. Just be low there is the magazine for the gunboats & the fourts there is about 200 tons of powder 

Turn over

If Sam and me can get off to morrow we will go down to the chesepeek and go onboard the gunboats to sea the guns & the salors. There is no more at present you must write very often we cannot get the chance to write that you can nor cannot get the paper nor stamps some times so you must consider the subject and you can sea that we have not the chance to write that we should like to have. Sam is well also my self i consider my selfe so

 

            Our love to all for the

            present good by

 

Direct your letters the same as before

WAClark

camp Sigel

Fort Marshal   Baltimore Md.

Washington Oct 26^th 1862

 

Dear Father i received your letter yester day and was very glad to hear from you but am very sorry to hear that Henry is sick i hope he is not dangerous you sayed you wanted to have me write oftener i have wrote two or three letters to you since i heard from you you must excuse me for not writing any oftener for i have to be at work on the fort from 7 untill 4 oclock and when we are not on the fort we are on the brest works there is 86 forts in one chane the furtherest north is Fort Marshal and the fartherest south is Fort Ellsworth / that is from Baltimore to Alexandry then we are that is the soldiers are a going to throw up a brest work so as to link all of the forts to gether so you sea we have some thing to do we have a good healthy place to encamp and the boys are generaly helthy the capt was down to the capitol the other day and he sayes the city is full of officers and the jeneral opinion is that the warr will soon be setteled the officers are coming and going to all parts of the united states and capt sayes him selfe that he thinks we will all be home in 6 months he sayes every thing looks brighter / now than he expected it would 2 months ago we have a great dissatisfaction to the Colonel all through the Reg and some body yester morning shot from the woods close by at him and the ball struck within about 3 or 4 ft from him and as luck would have it he was out on the post and fell when trying to save him selfe from falling on his lame arm he broke the same arm that he put out of joint the day we came from washington so you sea he has very bad luck he makes the men work every day on the fort and then sundays he wants them to clean up the ground &c but / boys does not sea the point The Colonel has not been to sea about getting any Chaplain and the chapel tent that was gave to us in Bridgeport has been blown down and torn in two the Colonel had it roald up and that is the end of all christianity he will soon play out i think

 

we have no sick of any account the doctor sayes we are very helthy there is one man died in Co I yesterday he had been sick for a long time in fact was when he enlisted you must excuse this writing for i have no chance write as often as you can i have got no stamps so you will have to pay for this your selfe my love to all

 

From your sone WAClark

 

[front top margin upside down]

 

write and let me know how henry gets along Sam is asleep it rains here and has done since 8 oclock this morning

Shantilla, November the 22 /62

                                               

Dearest Parents

inow take my pen in hand to let you know that i and William are pretty smart at present and hope that this will find you the same wee have not had time to wright senc wee recived your letter William seyes that hee has answerd your letter wee have bin too harsons farms and now wee are within 20 miles of Washington wee marched from Harsons Farms with in 7 miles of Centervill to this plase distance of 24 miles in less than 2 dayes it raned as hard as it cood all of the time wee stade the first night of the march on the first Bull run Battel field in barex bilt and aucpide by Buagards men last winter ihope that wee shall get out of this state before long 

 

wee left Harsons farms on the 18 and arived hear on the 19 wet and hungry and coald but it has cleard off and wee are dreying our cloas now ther is not maney sick in the Brigade now wee have not bin payed pade of yet and doant now when wee shall iwod not give 4 cents fore all of the state of Virginia send mee some papors if you have got eney for wee doant get eney papors hear But the Danbury papors i cannot ithink of eney more to wright this time give my love to all of the folks in Redding and Wright as soo as you get this ihave not got time to wright eney more and ihave writen this on my leag and setten on the ground Good By for this time from your Sone /

                                                                                   

Samuel G Clark and William

                                                           

Direct your letters to

Washington D. C

in care of J. E. Moor

Chantilley Dec 1 first 1862

 

Dear Father Mother Brothers & Sisters i now take pen in hand to scratch a few lines to you all to let you know that i am well and Sam is getting better he has had the Janders very bad but is getting well as fast as he can I received your letter the 29 and was glad to hear from you i have been out on picket and have been releaved we have to stay on post untill we are releaved we jeneraly stand 24 hours the boys are in pretty good health and spirets the Cavelry has been to a place called allday and captured a party of Rebs of about 40 and some wagons about 80 head of cattel also about the / same number of horses they were out on a foraging expadition when our men came onto them the distance from here to the place is about 20 miles they had a pretty sharp fight but it was quick over the loss on our side was one man killed and 3 wounded on the rebs side was 10 killed and 7 wounded there was several got scratched and cut up some but not so as to call them wounded i was over to sea them rebs this noon they appeared to be in good spirets and loocked very well there was one of them that has been taken twise or three times before this so i guess he is a gon turkey this time the prisoners are under / A guarde at General Stalls Head quarters and will be sent to Washington as soon as they can send them. Now for a sight i saw an old darkey that was 108 years old so the people sayes that are around here he is very old you can sea by his looks he is almost bald and he is just like a small child he does not know any thing he cannot stear without help and you cannot tell wether he breaths or not halfe of the time he belonged to the rebel General Stuart and is now living on the farm where he has all ways been the house of his masters is General Stalls Headquarters now i should think it had / been a very nise place before the rebelion but it is gon now it has been all cut and smashed to pecies the fences all taken away and burned so you can juge for your selfe wether it is tore to pecies or not it has had an army of rebs or an army of union soldiers here for nearly 2 years so you can se that a farm catches particular fits where it stands any whers near an army head quarters it is getting late and i must close for this time give my love to all you must all write as soon as you can tell the boys i am very glad they write to me they must write and give me all of the paticulars

 

no more at present

 

Good by for the present.

William A Clark /

 

Jesse you are old enough to write and give me all of the paticulars you must try and write a good long letter write all about the folks and the wether and so forth. Good by

                                                                       

From your brother

WAClark

 

[upside down]

 

George you must write me a good letter and i will try and get time to answer it

            From your Brother

                        WAClark 

 

Direct your letters to me

Care Cpt James E Moore

Co C 17^th CV

Seigels Core                Washington

first Division                           DC

second Brigad

Chantilly November Dec the 6 /62

 

Dear Father and Mother and Brothers and Sisters Inow take my pen in hand too let you know how William and my self are getting along wee are well and hope that this will find you all the same thare is snow on the ground 2 inchs deap hear now it fell last night and it is varey coald hear now fore too gow and stand on picket 24 ours gard thare gows my ink all over my lap let it gow thare is more whare this came from ihave had the ganders but iam as tuf as a not now wee are in the shelter tent thare is 3 of us in this and thare is rume enouf fore one and hardely that but wee have got too make the best of it thare was quite asture in camp on the first of / this month thare was some niggars came in too camp at 1 clock on Mounday morning and sead that the Reabbels ware at aplase cald alde and ware coming in this direction the drums beat the long role and the bugal serenade and such getting out of tents as that was you nore eney bodeyels every saw wee got our 60 rounds of cartreag and our guns and fell in too line in no time and was readey fore Jackson ore eney bodey els that dared too come but thare was no wone seamed too dare too come and make ous yankes aviset Sow when it came dalite the general Mc lane road along the lines and toald the men too bee readey at amoments notice But it was nothing but some Calvery that had come thare too seay see iff thare was eney of ous thare / not finding eney bodey thare they went some whare els alde is a small town about one days march that is about 15 or 20 miles from hear thare is not much too wright about hear at present ireceved that letter that you sent on the 1 of this month and those papors and was glad too hear from you at home and too hear that you are all well and those papors came in time fore ihad not had eney news in some time ishould licke too get some papor that has got the President mesage in when you wright agane send mee some cider in your letter wright as often as you can when you that the ware is ened wright and let yous know fore wee should not know wheather it is ened ore not down hear 

 

imust close now fore this time wright as soon as you get this

 

Good By fore this time from your Souns Samuel and William

 

Chantiley Dec 6^th 1862

Dear Father Mother Sisters and Brothers as Samuel was going to write i thought i would write a few lines and let you know that i am well and hope these few lines will find you the same Sam has given you all the nuse i suppose i have no time to read his letter so if i write the same thing he has wrote you must excuse me to day there was a rebel Cpt brought in to General Stalls head quarters look on the small paper for more No 1 you will sea the same on / this sheat

No 1

            The Cavelry came acrost this reb some where between here and thoroughfare Gap two or 3 days ago there was a young girl between 16 & 18 years old dressed in soldiers close taken by the Cavelry and brought to General Stalls head quarters She was a reb spy after being examined she was taken to General Siegel to do what he thought best with her when she started from Gen Stalls head quarters she jumped on the horse to go to Siegels head quarters and there was of corse a great many soldiers looking at her she told them to kiss her ___ and a great many other things that was not desent for a man to say She was a pretty fare specimen of the women they are all of the lowest grade of human beings the white girles are very ignorant as for the boys there is none left so we cannot tell wether they are the same or not but every thing looks the same 

 

we have just been out choping some wood the wether is pretty cool it snowed yesterday to the depth of 2 inches once level the ground has not been frozen any but 3 or 4 times the ground is not frozen at all and the snow will soon go if nothing happens and then it will be mud up to owr ancles or higher it is lovely down in Dixie and the Goos Hangs high we are all well and hope you are all the same write as often as you can.

 

James Kyle is in the tent with us he sends his love to all of the folks. No more at present Give owr love to all From your sones WAClark & SGClark      

                William A Clark

 

            Good night.

 

[top of this letter upside down and sideways]

 

write and let us know how mutch the pig weys

Paper is played out so is stamps

 

write as often as you can for we like to hear from home we will answer as many as we can Goodby for the present WAClark

 

[front top margin upside down]

 

Direct your letters the same as be fore and put on siegels Core first Division second Brigade we will get them more direct.

Stafford Cort house

 

Dc 22^d 1862

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters and Brothers haveing a few spare moments before going to bed i thought i would write and let you know that we are alive and well Sam is writing to levi and i have juste wrote to Pheebe so i thought i would write to you we have neither of us heard from you since we left Chantiley we started from that place the 10^th and marched 8 days in succession. we marched from Chantiley to within 2½ miles of Fredricks Burg in seven days a distance of 60 miles the eighth day we marched / back to where we now are a distance of 12 or 15 miles from FredricksBurg we have been here 2 days but how long we shall stay we do not know we may stay some time and may not stay one day. The march we had was a very hard one some days we only had 3 hard crackers a day the roads were so bad the mud was shoe deep. In some places it was up to your knees you have no idea of it nor never will untill you try it it is very stickey just like putty the horses and mules droped down dead all a long the road the horses on the artilery did not have any thing to eat for 48 hours and the men was so horse / holering to their horses they could not speak a loud word i felt sorry for them poor fellows when i past them stuck fast in the mud there they was as tight as they could be we have been payed off and i have sent my money home by Howes the Great Neadle man he has gon home to Brigeport now to deliver the money to the poor soldiers wives and to do some business for the officers we ar all in good spirets and in good health we are as tough and fat as hogs and as dirty as you pleas we have as fine a General as you ever saw he is some thing such a looking man as James Bowers / the patent roof man in danbury he is just about the size of him and has very long sandy whiskers the same as his he has a very smiling countinance every day alike he takes delight in pleasing the poor soldier he never shoes him self unless the boys gives him three chears as loud as any Reg can give i bet you the boys all like him and he likes the boys. While we are lying in camp we all ways have enough to eat but on a march is the time we get scanted for they get stuck in the mud some times and it takes two or three days then we cannot get it so we grin and bare it but we have not had bad usage yet we can stand a good deal i can live on one hard tack if they will only kill them devils that are at the head of the Reb army i tell you when they fire on ower men that are on the field picking up the dead and wounded it is more than a man can stand the boys ar rather down because Burnside did not let them take the bateries let it cost what it would they are all willing to go a head and end the war if they will give them men to lead them there is men enough here and round here to do some thing you would think so if you was here and sea them there is near half a milion of men within 15 miles of Fredricks Burg the men in the advance are so close they can talk to each other acrost the river they are about 3 miles from the main body of the Reb army 

 

tell the folks to keep up good corage and all will be well i have to write one or two letters to night so i shall have to close for it is getting late give my love to all inquiring friends Sam is writing to levi and i have got to help him out he has just asked me how to make a q so you sea he is learning very fast.

           

my love to all

write as often as you can and i will do the same

           

Good By

From your Sone

WA Clark

 

we received those papers and was very glad of them

Martindale Barracks

Jan 7^th 1863

58^th Co. 1^st Bat. I.C.

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to inform you of my health and where abouts I am in very good health and in good quarters I started this morning from Cliffburne Barracks and arrived here safe we had a good dinner and plenty of it I am unassigned as yet but i have been put into the 58^th Co first Bat / for the present I shall get a 3^d examination in a short time you must excuse me for not writing oftener and longer letters but it is next to impossible for me to do it all i can say is that this is the best place i have sean for a soldier I am in very good health and the best of spirits hoping these few lines will find you all in good health i remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother                      

W^m A Clark

           

my love to all

Good by

January the 23, /63

Brooks Station, Va.

 

Dear Parents Inow take my pen in hand to let you know that iam well and hope that this will find you all the same irecived aletter from Josie on the 22 and that is the first letter that we have had in some time and we was glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well we have not recived eather wone of them letters that you and James sent but they may have gon to the Rigement we are detached from the rigement for gard over the aminition trane and we are some of the time 10 and 15 miles from the rigement we are in the rear we are detaled for 3 or 5 months and iam glad of it for we shall not be in eney fight unless we are atacked in the rear we marched on the 20 from Stafford we are close to the RR that runs from falmouth to aqui landing

 

            this is all that ican think of this time this is from your Son Samuel G Clark

 

William will finish the letter for iam tiard out /

 

Brooks Station

Verginia Jan 23^d 1863

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters and Brothers

haveing a few moments after writing to Pheebe i thought i would write and let you know i am well and hope these few lines will find you the same we are on the march again we had orders to be ready to march on tuesday morning so we was aroused at 2 Oclock in the morning had roll call and then there was eleven of us detached from each Company to do guard duty on the ammunition train so we will not be likely to be with the Reg again in some time but we have the advantage in one account we are near headquarters so when the mail comes we get it first before it goes to the Reg so you sea we are all wright on that account now i will give you the number of wagons there is 90 wagons and the most of the wagons have six mules and some have 2 hitched behind the wagons so you sea we have quite a drove of mules there is about 600 mules on this train when the train is moving there is quite a string the train under way takes up about 5 miles in length then there is a supply train in the rear of us that takes up about the same space so you sea there is quite a lot of wagons in this Corps these wagons are extra there is from 6 to 10 wagons besides for each Reg then there is a train for each Brigad of about 20 wagons so you can / sea what a job it is to move an army we are here wating for orders to move how long we shall stay here we do not know but not long i will give you the names of the boys from ower Company Charles & William Curtis Henry Booth John Holmes Frank Benson Bob Fry Bob Farvour Alfeus & Leverit Farchild WA & SG Clark we are all in good health and hope these few lines will find you the same Sam had a letter from Josie last night and we was glad to hear from you She sayed you had not heard from us since christmass i received a letter from Father some time ago and answered it in a day or two after i received the letter i have no time to write now because we are expecting to have to go to the depot to onload hay oats & ammunition so i must close to have a cup of coffee before we have any orders to go Sam commenced and he sayed he could not write it so you sea he makes me do all the writing he can he always haves some thing the matter to get rid of writing no more at present ower love to all inquiring friends give ower love to levis folks and to Calvins folks also to Pheebe an Han and all the rest tell them all to write and we will try and answer some of them if not all Give ower love to all

 

Good by From your Sones     

William A Clark

S. G. Clark

 

Direct your letters the same as ever

 

[top margin upside down]

 

write as often as you can tell Calvin to write and when i get time i will write to him.

                                                                                                           

WAClark

WAClark, Writer.

 

Camp near Brooks Station

Verginia Feb 11^th 1863         

 

            Dear Father Mother Sisters and Brothers

haveing a few moments i thought i would write a few words and let you know that Sam and my self is boath well and enjoying as good health as we ever did at home and better than we ever did at home the same season of the year I received a letter from you on monday dated feb 1^st and was very glad to hear from you we have not had a letter from you before in a long time. you must write to me / as often as you can and i will answer them all as soon as i possibly can whitch i always have i have wrote two or three to you since i received any that is i mean before i received the one i am now answering i shall write to you every opportunity i have and shall frank my letters for Doctor Brown postmaster sayes they will be more shure to go home from here than if the soldiers had stamps to send them with so all the letters we send after this we shall frank and let them be payed at the end of the rout where they are received so the / soldier looses nothing if the letters are lost whitch they would if the soldiers all used stamps so you sea it is a wise conclusion.

 

We have been ordered back to ower Reg and have returned we ware ordered back on monday but we would not come so on tuesday the same guard came back double force and we had to return the boys have all got houses built so we went at work and had one side of ower building done when there was a detail made to go to acquia crick so Sam Frank J Benson and my selfe takes the place of George Dickens, Lewis & George Bradley in the house with John W Bowton so we have / no building to do this time the rumor is in camp that Siegel is going to Washington and send them 9 months men out and give them a chance to sea a little fun if that is what they call fun we call it pretty good sound work some times espetialy when we marched eight days in succession through the mud over shoe half of the time but we are in a good place about a mild north west of Brooks Station. there is no more nuse at present. I received a paper also Sam received one from you on monday. I received a letter from Phebe and a paper to night. T S ower Majour has returned to the Reg he came to night he has been home ever since we left Chantiley he was kicked by one of the horses and broke his knepan and has just returned to night. Give ower love to all and may god grant we may soon be with ower friends once more in peace and harmony for ever Amen. WAClark

 

[top margin upside down]

 

Keep up good corage the day is not far distant when all secession will die boath north and south

 

[top inner margin upside down]

 

tell Jessie and George to eat a rabbit for Sam and one for me

 

soft bread wayed out to night.

General Ospital Brooks Station

Verginia May 3^d 1863

           

Dear Father Mother Sisters and brother at this late hower i sit down to write to you to let you know that i am a great deal better than when i was at home i have been sent to the Division Ospital i came here last monday that was the day the Reg mooved in fact the whole armie mooved there was about 150.000 thousand soldiers on a march with about 1200 pieces of artilery and about 50 000 Cavelry so you can guess there will be some thing done in a few days there has for the last 4 days been a very / heavey cannonading but this after noon it has stoped there was 3 men came in to the Ospital that had been wounded in the fore finger they say that the boys are fighting like everything we have had orders to prepair for the wounded to day so i must hurry and write so as to put up tents for them when they come there is thre ospitals here there is about 1200 sick that is are not able to march some have sore feet some have sore fingers so they cannot handle a gun there is but very few that are so they are confined to their bed there is a hundred or more that is going to their Reg tomorrow / i was left behind on account of the phthisic i do not know what will be done with me as yet i shall write to you in a few days again and let you know i have no cough now but i think it is on account of the weather being so warm it has left me my horseness has left me in a great measure and in a short time i shall be well as i ever was in my life i have not heard from Sam since the Reg left but i think i shall in a day or two when i do i will write and let you know all the particulars the 11:12: & 3 armie Corps has taken 800 prisners and have had but little / loss as yet but i have not heard any nuse to be relied on as yet ower troops lay in Fredricks burg on friday and Saturday i believe i have given you all the nuse

 

PS Jeremiah O Mead is in the Ospital also John Hays. Waren hoyts son from Ridgefield Jerry Mead sayes he is my cusin we are getting along fine here Jerry sends his best respects to you all give my love to all. Good by for this time. From your obedient servent            WAClark

                       

Directions

first Division Ospital

11^th Armie Corps

                       

Brooks Station Va

Washington D.C

June 8^th, 1863

Camp near Brooks Station, Va.

 

Dear Sister as i received a letter from you on Saturday i thought i would try and write a few lines in answer to it i have but little nuse as i can think of the last time i wrote we had just mooved ower camp the next day or two after i wrote we had orders to moove camp again so we packed up again and mooved about 1½ miles south west towards Fredricks Burg we are about 1 mile directly west of Brooks Station close to the railroad. There was a quite a battleing among the artilery on friday after noon while we were out on drill it was down at Fredricks Burg. ower troops mooved their seige guns down close to the river then commenced laying the pontoons down came the rebs on a double quick from the hights into the brest works close by but the first Conn artilery commenced fireing and the rebs retreated back into the rifle pits about half a mile back then the artilery opened as though the devil was let loos the fire was so heavy and fast that the rebs dared not rais up to retreat back so down went the pontoons acrost went the / sharp shooters deployed right and left and then halted then acrost one corps to the right towards the city of Fredricks Burg then acrost goes an other corps and goes to the left all of this was done under the fire of one of the bes bateries the Government ever had or can have the first Connecticut heavy artilery after the crossing ower troops started on a double quick and to the surprise of the Rebs they were every one taken prisoners they were marched acrost the river and into Washington ower troops sayes the rebs were buried a live in the brest work they wer dug out and brought off the field then ower troops advanced and took the hights not a Reb was found so we hold the city also the hights the general opinion here is that the Rebs have drawn their forse a way and sent it to Vicks Burg but we cannot tell we shall know in a few days ower general is on a recanoicence he returns in a day or two we are under marching orders all the time now we keep 3 days rations in ower haver sacks also ower knapsacks packed all the time we have two howers drill in the morning and one in the after noon we do not have it so / hard as we did since ower drill was changed from the middle of the day to early in the morning and late in the after noon this was done to not have the men be drilling in the hot sun the boys did not like it at first but now they have got used to it they like it better. Sam has got a pair of crutches and is so he comes down to the Company every day he is on a gain all the while but it haves to take its own time the doctor sayes you cannot do mutch for it the doctor sayes it will take a long time to get well but he thinks he will get over it in time

 

i am kicking a round raged sausy fat and dirty as you pleas there is no sign as i sea of a moove the General Mclane ower General that went west is trying to get this Brigade out there he is pavo Martial General of Ohio he says he will have this Brigade if he can get them he has been sending word to the Govornor of Ohio to get the Brigade he has also telegraphed to the president but how he made out i cannot say But I hope he will get / us out there. there is no more nuse as i can think of now so i will close with love to Father Mother Sisters and Brothers.                       

 

From your loveing

Brother W^m A Clark

 

Write as often as you can and i will do the same

 

I was up to General Howards head quarters to church yesterday we had a good sermon the text was,

           

Never be weary in well doing

For in due season you shall reap your reward if you Faint not.

 

There was 3 ladies present they were the wives of some of the officers that belong to the Generals Staff.

 

Leaveing you all in the care of God i will close Good by to all

WAClark

Washington July 25^th

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers as i have got setled i will try and write a few lines to you to let you know my where abouts i wrote to you i believe just before i left the Reg or else the night i stoped at fredrick i am not sure but at any rate i left the reg the 18^th was caried to Frederick City Md. in an ambulance stoped to the Hospt over night started on the cars sunday morning at 8 Oclock and rode 60 miles arived in Baltimore sunday eavening at 6 Oclock went to the Union Releif Assosiation and had ower supper then the Massachusets agent took us to his / own house and keped us over night in the morning we went to the Union Releif Assosiat and got breakfast then we went to the Jarvis Hospital and took dinner then we went to Wests Buildings Hospital and stayed Monday night also untill Thursday then at noon we had orders to get ready to moove and at one oclock we were on board the propeller Philadelphia 301 of us and she shoved off and after we started the doctor on board told us that we wer on ower way to Washington so all was well. you can imagine whether we wer tired or not when we arived in George town on friday after noon after a ride of over 200 / miles on the water we had a splendid trip though the weather was pleasent and the sea was smooth we sailed out the Chesapeek Bay we run against the blockadeing squadron or rather stoped to let them examine ower papers at ½ past one at night we passed point lookout at 2 Oclock and at 10 Oclock we passed Aquia Creek and at 1 Oclock we passed Mount Vernon at ½ past one we passed Fort Washington at ¼ to 2 Oclock we passed Alexandria and at ¼ past 2 we struck the dock at George Town and we lay there untill the ambulances came then we wer caried direct to Carver Hospital and here i am in Ward 4 

 

we have the best of care and the best of grub and a plenty of it i had boiled potatoes boiled turnips roast mutton soop and bread i eat so mutch i thought i should have to greas my belly and roal in the ashes leaving all joking aside it was a splendid dinner. i shall go through an examination by the board of Doctors in a few days then i will give you a short letter and tell the result you must write and send me some paper and invelops if you have them handy for i have no money just now to get any with there is no more nuse at present.

                                                                       

From your Sone and Brother

W^m A Clark

 

Direct your letters to

William A Clark

Ward 4           

Carver Hospital

Washington

D C

 

be careful not to put the

reg or Company on for

if you do i will not get

them in along time if ever

 

[front top margin upside down]  My love to all write as soon as you can and give the nuse

 

[side margin]  i have not heard from you or Pheebe since the 8^th of July

Carver Hospital                      

Ward 4                                                                        

Washington August 26^th 1863

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write and inform you that i received your kind and welcomb letter and was very glad to hear that you were all well and more so to inform that i am no worse and if any thing on the gain i think i have a little cold just now and the phthis is the leading thing for when it comes on it bothers me to breath when i lie down nights but the Doctor gives me some mixture that helps me very quick but the Diarrhea is about the same as it has been for 8 months past sometimes it is better then again it is worse. As for the pain in my side i am satisfied that it will never be any better / or any worse i have been thinking of trying to get transfered to the State hospital i wrote to Levi but he does not sea fit to answer it i think he could go and sea O Benedict and most likely he knowes the senators from ower state or one of them at least so he could send to him here in washington and get me transfered or get a furlough of 30 or 60 days and may be more i wished if you sea Levi you would tell him i should like to have him write to me once in a while and i will try and answer his letters as quick as possible for i should like to hear from him & all the folks but i am getting off the track the weather is very fine here now we had a very heavy shower yesterday after noon so it / cooled the air and layed the dust so it is very pleasent today there is but about 900 hundred men in this Hospital now but when i came here there was between 1700 & 1800 hundred so you sea they are sending some of them away every day or nearly every day there is but very few considered dangerous at present the health is improving very fast in this Hospital out of sutch a large number there has been only about 20 deaths in 31 days so you sea that is small considering them all sick that are here and out of the 20 there was two sunstroke in one day and died that was the fore part of last week i forget the day now there is one thing that looks like brotherly love in the soldiers there is so many states all mixed up and no quareling in the ward / where i am there is one from Minisota 2 from Wisconsin 1 from Ohio 2 from Pensylvania 8 from New York and 4 from Conneticut that is what is in this ward then in the next ward there is some from Massachusets New Hampshire Delleware Maryland Verginia Indiana and Rhodeiland so you sea there is a reperesentation from nearly all states. N.B. there is some from Illinois California and there is in other Hospitals some from North Carolina the soldiers all try to help one another as a general thing and i am hapy to sea sutch a fealing as is shown in general throught the hospital i have not heard from the Reg since they went to Charleston I heard that they wer on Morris island in Charleston harbour. i received a letter from Pheebe today she sayes she is well. I am glad you sent this sheat of paper for mine is all gon write often and i will try and answer them my love to all and i will close From your true and loveing sone to his Father & Mother

 

I remain you humble servant WAClark

 

[top front margin upside down]

 

Direct as before

Washington Sep 9^th 1863

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers

I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you to let you know how i am i am about the same as i have been some days i feal very well then again i am kindy off of the hooks and feal bad but now i feal very well i have a pain in the side at times and i have the cronic diarrea and have had it for about eleven months some times it will nearly stop then it will come on again as bad as ever i spoke to the Doctor this morning about going before the board for examination he sayed he would try and have me examined this week / so i think i shall soon know what they are going to do with me i have been paid 2 months pay that is all i could get now i had no Discripative list so i could not get my 4 months pay and i have not had any check so i have not had my last bounty yet it has been due about 6 weeks there is a lot of the boys that are being sent to their Reg to day and then there is a lot to go tomorrow i am not afraid of being sent there is not mutch to write about it is getting late and i must close.

 

Washington DC Sept 10 as i did not finish my letter yesterday i thought i would write a few lines more and send it today i am about the same / as i have been for some time there is no change of importance to write about they are sending a lot of men to their Regs now since they have been paid off there was about 60 taken up on the street yesterday they were drunk and some of them wer fighting there was 40 sent to their Reg this morning and about 50 going tomorrow so if they keep on for a week they will get this hospital cleaned out there is a lot of the men that are on extra duty here that are ordered to go before the board for examination this after noon i guess i shall go before the board tomorrow but i cannot tell as yet i cannot think of anything more to write about Give my love to all

 

Good by from your sone & humble servant W^m A Clark

                       

Direct as before

Carver Hospital

Sept 22^d        1863                                                                                                 

Washington DC                                                                                                             

                       

Dear Mother Father Sisters & Brothers. I have not got fathers name first as i should have it but you must excuse mistakes how do you all do i received Rebeccas kind letter this morning and was very glad to hear from you all and more so to hear that you are all well i for my part am glad to say I am no wors as i can sea i have the same old complaint on me that i used to have the phthisic it comes on to me every time i catch cold then i have sutch a pain in my side nearly all the time and then / i have had the diarrea nearly all the time since i left home but i am able to stand it i guess by the help of God i will try and go through thick and thin i am a great deal better than when i was on the march for now i have a good bed and we have good provision and do not have to be out in the storm i tell you when i came here it seamed like a palace for i had been out through all the storms for nearly 40 days and on the march nearly every day and some days ower journey after the Jonnies Grey Backs was from 30 to 40 miles so you can judge whether we lay still long or not we some times got into camp at 8 oclock at night and sometimes not untill 2 / oclock then we got ower supper and went to bed then before day light the Bugal would sound for us to get up and get ower breakfast then take ower trunk on ower back and on again i have given you a few out lines of it but no pen can discribe it in full now i have given you the out lines so you can sea the diffirance betwean being here and being out faceing the Rebs where you have to ly down on the ground with your gun in your hands all loaded and ready to jump and fire at a moments notice i shall have to close for it is late and i am trying to help david Bradley cook for the Doctors he is in my company he is from Danbury he has been here with me all the / while since i left the Co.

 

You must excuse this short letter i will try and do better next time you must all be of good chear i am in good spirets all the time Give my love to all From your

                                                           

Loveing Sone & Brother

William A Clark

                                                           

Good By for this time

 

            I will try and give you a Discription of what i saw while in the city the other day in my next letter.

Carver Hospital Washington D.C.

Wednesday Oct 21^st 1863      

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you to inform you that i am about the same as usual no worse and not any better to boast of i have been taking Cod Liver Oil for some time i have taken nearly a quart of it and it is not very nise to take i can a sure you i have also had an other Blister on my brest and side the size was 1 x 4 inches fly blister so you can judge what kind of a blister i had it is now nearly well and the doctor that gets an other Blister over my heart will eather whip me first or tie me down to put it ther i have made up my mind to that affect and the doctor knows it for he began to talk to me the other day and he found he had the wrong pig by the tail to drive so he has sayed nothing to me since i have tried to get away from here but there is no chance untill we get paid off then i shall leave this place as quick as i can we get paid about the 10^th of next month it may be before that time. i received your kind and welcomb letter today and was hapy to hear from you and more so to hear that you wer all well you spoke of Calvin being sick with the lung feaver i hope he will soon be better for it is bad for anyone to be sick i have sean sickness in every form and sutch as none of you ever saw there is a man in the next ward to me here that is about 6 feet high and his weight about 175 before he was taken sick / now he will not wey 75 i do not think as for flesh he has none his leggs are about the size of Georgies ancle and the same with him all over his hip bones stick through the skinn then there is an other man by the side of him that was taken bleading the other night and nearly blead to death he is very low he is a Catholick the priest was sent for the other day and came he sayed he thought he would get well he thought the caus of his bleading so was on account of his haveing sutch a weight on his mind and now his mind was relieved he thought he would be more quiet and get over it. I was down to the city yesterday ther was nothing new going on they have new cars on the Avenue they ar 4 horse cars and on the branch roads they have 2 horse in the place of one horse cars so you can travel some ways here for 5 cents we can ride from just below the Hospital here to the Navy yard a distance of about 7 miles for 5 cents there is several streets hear that have cars running on them there is the Avenue cars i should say Pensylvania Avenue the George town cars, 14^th cars, 1^st cars West 1^st cars East the Navy yard cars then you can ride on any of these and get a transfer to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Rode so there is no trouble to travil as soon as you get out of the cars to the Depot then you can get into the horse cars and ride any where you want to in the city since i have been in the hospital i have been to the patent office the Capitol also to the treasury Building and smithsonean instatute the later is a grand a fair i should like to have you come on here and visit the public places. It is late and my paper is short so i will close with my love and best respects to all Good by from your loveing Sone WAClark

Carver Hospital Washington D.C. Nov 7 1863

 

Saturday          Dear and ever affectionate Parents Brothers Sisters & Friends, I now take this opportunity to write you a few lines to you to let you know that i am no worse as i sea but about the same i received a letter from you the day after i wrote so i thought i would wait a few days before i wrote again I am glad to hear that you are all well at home and glad to hear that Calvin is better I received a letter from Pheebe to day and also one from Samuel stating that he had got home i am glad for him for he has suffered his share if you want to know how i am Samuel will tell you how bad i am i am the same as i was at Brooks Station when he left i believe i told you about being examined but what conclusion the Doctors came to i have never learned as yet but i shall find out i suppose the comeing week that is if we get ower pay i shall eather be sent to Camp Convalesant or be put into the Second Batalion Invalid Corps i expect but may be my luck to get my ticket to leave but it is more than i look for. But be it what it may i am content for i am looking forward for times when i shall meat my Wife Father Mother Sisters & Brothers in peace and prosperity and i know that tho far away i am not forgoten and when i look around me and sea my brother soldiers some of the groning with pain from wounds other layed low with feavers i feal as though i had been blessed and feal as though every thing was for the best therefore i beg of you all to keep up good corage and never / torture your minds worying about me for i am in comfortable circumstances and another thing you must not in thinking of me forget all others there is many Fathers Mothers Sisters Brothers and many Children weaping for their absent ones and many is there that are worse than i am and i feal it my duty to not think of selfe and let my brother soldier die unheard i for my part had rather be at the front in line of Battle than lay here an sea men suffer it no very desireable job i can tell you and the man that can stand it is a strong minded man isl assure you. There is a dispatch just came in here from the front General Killpatrick Majour General of Cavelry he has been on a recrenoisance and reports the evacuation of Richmond and says there is not a reb to be found further more he sayes that Lees armie is being sent to reinforce Bragg and to act against Hooker Burnsides and Grant in the west also that he thinks mead could march into Ritchmond The President has ordered General Mead to advance on Ritchmond and hunt up the Rebs and fight them wherever he can find them so if that be the case you can look on for some stering nuse in a short time. as it is getting late i must close Hoping to hear from you soon and beging you all on my account not to wory for i am sure wright will rule and all will be wright at last Give my best respects to all the folks My love to you all i remain as ever your loveing Sone And Obedient Servent.

                                                           

William A Clark

Carver Hospital Washington D.C.

Wednesday Nov 11^th 1863

 

                        Dear Parents Brothers Sisters & Friends I now take my pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that i am about the same as usual. I received your kind letter and was happy to hear that you wer all well you spoke of going to sea Samuel and found him looking better than you expected to sea him i suppose you all have an idea that i am flat on my back and as poor as a cr[?] but you must not let your minds run to sutch an extent i am fat i was weighed a few days ago and went as high as 158 lbs so you sea i am by no means poor and other ways very fleshy i can go where ever i please provided i have a pass from the Doctor i am in not mutch pain The doctor sayes my lungs are as sound as a dollar also my liver & hart he sayes i have a touch of the plurasy & astmy but i have nothing to shortin my days in the shape of disease he sayes that if i am playing off on my voice that i am a good one for he could not tell but he thought i was not he sayes i never can get to the Reg again and he thinks that i will be put in to the Second Batalion Invalid Corps if i am i shall try to get into the / third Reg for their Headquarters are in New Haven then i shall try to get a furlough for 10 or 15 days

 

you spoke of my comeing home to thanksgiveing i cannot say as to whether it will be so i can get home or not as soon as that There is not mutch nuse here only there is a pile of Rebs came through the city going to the Old Capitol they wer taken by General Mead & General Killpatrick a few days ago ower troops crossed the Rappuhannock and surround them one Brigade of Lousiannia Tigers and one Brigade of North Carolina troops also 11 pieces of artilery that was a very good hall for one trip General Mead i think will make an other hall in a few days i think he is a good man and able to fill his office he is very popular around here. Now for the 11^th Corps it has redeamed its bad name with General Joe Hooker in Tenesee Hooker attacked the Rebs at Lookout Mountain and drove them 10 miles and held the ground captured several pieces of artilery also a large number of prisoners we have not got ower pay as yet but we will get it in a few days it is getting late so i will quit scratching my love to one and all i remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother

                                                           

William A Clark

Carver Hospital Washington D.C.

 

Sunday Nov 15th 1863

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers Friend &c

I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to let you all know how i am i am a bout the same as usual on the gain if any thing i am content at least and that is a considerable I have been writing to Pheebe and have since wrote a letter for a fellow soldier whoo is unfortunate enough as be without education. so now i thought i would try and write a few lines to my Parents whoo are ever anxious to hear from a child under every circumstance and i am sure i am as anxious to hear from them i never shall complain if i always enjoy as good health as i do at the present for i think i have been blesed times innumerable and am thankful for the many blessings i have received from time to time Yesterday ther was a great stir in the city i saw some thing i never thought of seaing a few years a go i saw the second District of Columbia Colored Reg of Infantry on drill They wer nearly all from this city they wer Freed by the President and now are under arms and have marching orders for Charleston There is 4 Regs ordered to go in a few days 2 Regs from Maryland 1^st & 2^d Colored Reg Maryland & the 1^st & 2^d District of Columbia this Reg that i saw was nearly all young darkies and wer very stout healthy looking fellows all the non Commissioned officers wer Darkies and all the Commitioned officers wer white men they wer well drilled for the time they have been organised it is only about 2 months / they can go through the manuel of arms as well as half the Reg now in the field they wer reviewed near this Hospital by General Casey he is a man very mutch like (Lawes Loomis) (of Bridgeport Conn.) in looks & in size this Reg numbers over 900 hundred the Brigade numbers 3800 & over so you sea that saves so many white men i hope this will continue If it does we shall soon have the places in the ranks filled up that is i mean enlisting Darkies for i say put them in and let them smell powder and save the white men. Then the Darks are willing to go so why not let them try it i wished we had ten times the number of Darkies in the armie today that we have. There is not mutch nuse from the armie of the Potomac General Mead & General Killpatrick in command of the Cavelry are working together and i think they will ear long give a stiring account of their stittness at the present i have great faith in boath of the a bove named Generals and i think they will do every thing in their power. The nuse from Charleston is not very dead they are very near through with their works and soon General Gilmore will try what he can do there is several vessels ready for sea hear at the Navy Yard they have been repaired and iron plated and now are ready for sea i think they will go to Charleston. The city begins to be thronged again with people and soon Congress will be in full bloom. Father how i wished you was able to visit this place for it is worth a fortune to sea if you was here to stay a week or two so as to have time to go over the city & sea the Public Buildings namely / the Capitol the White House The Treasury Building the Patent Office the General Post Office the Smithsonean Institute also to sea the Washington Monument whitch is now over 200 hund feet high thence to the Navy Yard & Arsenal also to start and go out a bout 4 miles and sea the Forts a round the city and you would be surprised to sea the number of cannon and the amount of ammunition also go into the Government stables and sea 10,000 horses & mules you would wonder wher they all came from then visit the store houses thousands of them in every direction and sea milions of lbs Barells of pork beaf flower potatoes carotts turnips beets onions &c to numerous to mention From there visit the Soldiers Home for old and young men that have served in the Regular Service also the soldiers Burying Ground near by and sea the number that have died in the Revolution & since thence to the Hospitals and sea the differant states or Representatives from differant states all together as harmonious as if they wer Brothers in fact they are brother soldiers and the most of them try to do all they can for their fellow man The health of the differant Hospitals are increasing as the weather groes cooler ther is only a bout 700 hundred in this Hospital at the present and many will soon join their Regaments we received ower Pay yesterday and was not sorry i can tell you but i do not care but very little a bout money for all i want is a little tobacco paper envelops & stamps i have all i want to eat and all i want to ware and am in very comfortable circumstances / at the present. I get a pass every few days and go to the city just to pass a way time I have sean nearly all the public officers in the city the most of them look very mutch like their profiles that you sea in the papers the President & Wife look very mutch like their profiles they are very old fassioned people The Presidents sone a bout as large as Jesse and looks very mutch like him had a very nise little pony presented to him and at the presentation the speeker told the President that he would have a horse to ride to revew the Armie of the Potomac the President in return sayed he was a fraid that his heals would drag in the mud and stop the team. Yesterday eavening there came up a very heavy thunder shower and lasted all night but cleared away a bout noon today. Now i will tell you what i had for dinner. Rost beaf sweet potatoes turnip sauce rice pudding & soop bread &c. It is now near night and i must close the Brass Band is playing now for Dress Parad for the Invalid Corps they are playing the Girl i left be hind me. The boys that are in the ward with me are all very well there is 2 from Main 2 from Indiannia 4 from Pensylvania 1 from Western Verginia one from the District of Columbia 3 from Conn. Hoping to hear from you one and all soon i will close with my best wishes for all hoping these few lines will find you all in the best of health and spirets. This is from your loveing though absent Sone & Brother

                                                                       

William H Clark

 

P.S       Excuse all mistakes & bad writing

Carver Hospital

Washington D.C.

Friday Dc. 4^th 1863

 

Dear Father I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you and to the rest the last letter i received from home i sea ther was nearly every one of you had a hand in writing so now i will have a hand at the whole of you I am now in very good health hoping these few lines will find you in the best of health and spirits. there is not mutch nuse here at present the top or dome of the Capitol is now finished the Godess of liberty was raised day before yesterday there was loud chearing and a general salute fired from every fort around / the City the Russian fleet came in yesterday and are now ancored between Washington and Alexandria they are regular old mud scows. The City begins to be thronged with senators and representatives and soon the Capitol will be in full bloom this session promises to be the best that has been for years as i have to write to the rest i shall have to write a short and sketchey letter the health of the men here is rapidly improveing there being but very few deaths in some time. Hoping to hear from you soon i will proceed to the nex

                                               

I remain as ever

Your loveing Sone

WAClark

 

 

Carver Hospital

Washington D.C.

Friday Dc. 4^th 1863

 

Dear Mother

                        I am not an earend boy now but a soldier but as i am i have time to think over the past and bright imagination sayes to me look to the future as I received a letter from home and all had a word to say i thought it my duty as a sone to try and pay as fas as i was able each and every one this has been my motto and i hope it ever will be you are far a way from hear but you all are brought nigh by thought and by reflection on the past i can sea / that i have not done my duty to my parents but i hope to live to sea the time when i can pay as the Good book sayes 10 fold but now we will let the past drop I am in good health i suppose if i was home i should call my selfe well but as i am not and here under the Doctors care i call my self sick but i can eat my rations and look out for no one isl asure you hoping these few lines will find you in the best of health and blesed with abundance if I can help you any or any of you let me know and i will do it with pleasure. leaveing you all in the care of him who doeth all things well i will close hoping to hear from you soon I remain as ever your loveing sone.

W^m A Clark

 

 

Carver Hospital

Washington D.C.

Friday Dc. 4^th 1863

 

Dear sister Jane

As i was writing to the Family in person i thought it my duty to write to you in answer to your many letters I am in good health hoping these few lines will find you strong and harty also able to eat a good plate of pork and cabbage or if kneed be a sparerib of a pig or some sutch dish as that also able to make your kneedle fly fast enough to cover your back as well as fill your mouth. I received a letter from Pheebe the other day and i saw you had a sort of a plot / or combination against or for me so i took the hint and without further seremony i started on my earend after dinner and oing to the short space of time i shall have to give you a short letter hoping these few lines will find you full as well as i antisepate and if any thing better i shall have to bid you good after noon and proseed to the next in rank hoping to hear from you soon and often i will draw my short letter to a close I remain as ever your loveing Brother

W^m. A. Clark

 

 

Carver Hospital

Washington D.C.

Friday Dc. 4^th 1863

 

Dear Sister

Josephine I now take up my scratching iron to inform you of my where abouts an also of the state of my health I am still in the old spot as you will sea by the heading of my letter. I am also in very good health for i can eat my rations very well and once in a while i can kick up my heals as well as the best of the boys once in a while i have a skuffle with some of the boys to try my strength and also to get / a little shaking up for exersize now and then we let a rat get into the room and then 5 or 6 pitch on to one rat i know it is a little cowardly for so many but it is fare and if you was here to sea the boys fly around and hear them laugh and tumble over bedsteds spittoons &c you would burst your gizzard i think for i came near it one night my selfe some of the boys got their shins near broke by comeing in contact with a stick so goes ower days here as it is late i will proseede to the next hoping to hear from you soon i will close I remain as ever your loveing Brother

WAClark

Carver Hospital

Washington D C                                

Sunday Dc 13^th 1863

 

                        Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you to inform you that my health is about the same as usual i am able to eat my rations yet and i can go around nearly wherever i have a mind provided i donot let the Pavo guard catch me if they do then a fellow is apt to catch a shower bath at the Central Guard-house But if they catch this child they will have to get up in the morning for i have been out long enough to play a pretty strong game to get away when i get cornered. There is not mutch nuse at present The President has been sick with the small Pox but is able to attend to business again The Russian Fleet is at ancor just below the wharfe and the Commander talks of staying all winter. Congress is now in session and now the capitol is in full blast i shall try and go down to the city on tuesday and sea the Big Heads maybe i can get a chance there for something but be as it may i can get a long where i am. There is not mutch nuse here at present I received a letter from Pheebe and / one from Lutenant Quin he states that all the boys wer in very good health some of them ware complaning but they wer not very sick he was in good health he sayed Capt Daniels was home on furlough. the health of the men here is improveing there is some differance here now and when i firs came here when i came here there was near 2000 now there is but about 400 so you sea some of them have been sent a way but i am here yet and am likely to be here for a while. I have not been put in the Invalid Corps yet i told the Doctor that i should not go unless i was obliged to for i did not like it i did not enlist to go there and i was ready to go to my Reg so the Doctor sent me back for further treatment i suppose i shall get another examination before a great while it is near night and i shall have to close i send my best rspects to all hoping to hear from you soon. Leaveing you all in the care of God who doeth all things well i will close I remain as ever your loveing Sone and humble Servant                                                           

William A Clark

Cliffburne Barracks

Camp Depot, I.C.

Washington DC

Dc. 30^th 1863.             

           

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers It is with pain that i think that i have not the opportunity to write to you oftener but i have been on the moove for about 2 weeks or have orders to go but am still here I have been put into the first Batalion I. Corps. the 9^th Reg but have not joined them yet my health is very good and spirits / are top of the heap as soon as i get to the Reg I shall try and get a furlough there is not mutch nuse here at present the weather is as warm as forth of July nearly we have a white frost nights but after the sun gets up it is gon we have not had but one flurry of snow and that was gon as soon as it come the Colonel and some ladies are comeing around to inspect the Barracks so i shall have to close I will write to you as soon as i get to a stopping place and let you / know how i get along you mus pardon me for not writing to you for i know you like to hear from me and with a light heart and clear contience do i try my best to write but i am unable to write now as often as i wish to and now i know i am forgiven and at some future day i will try to explain all to your satisfaction and now i will close with my love & best respects to all. I remain your most loveing Sone

                                                           

W^m A Clark

Martindale Barracks

Washington D.C.

Co. D. 19^th Reg first Bat. I.C.

Jan 23^d 1864

Sat       

                                                                                                           

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to inform you of the safe arival of your kind and welcomb letter and i can tell you i was happy to hear that you wer all well and am more so to say i am in very good health and the best of spirits you spoke of your hoping that i would soon sea you all and be frea from uncle Sam you must not let your fears run a way with your body at some future day i shall be free and i am / not at all woried for all is for the best you asked me if i could speek aloud that you will know when you sea me i did think of getting a furlough but i did not get my pay this two months and i spoke to the Cpt and he told me that i would have to wait from four to six weeks then there would be a chance he thought I shall try and sea one of ower Senators this comeing week and sea what he thinks of my case there is not mutch nuse here at present the weather is very fine as warm as in june not a bit of snow and / the ice on the river is gon so that boats run regular again there is a large number of soldiers reenlisting here very fast you spoke of there being a great deal of sickness here there is no more here than any where as i know of there is considerable many of the boys that has the mumps & a quite a number sick with the small pox but as soon as there is any simptoms of it they are sent to the Caleramma Hospt or small pox Hospital in Georgetown. So it has no chance to spread as i have no more to write i will close / leaveing you all in the care of God who doeth all things well. Give my best respects to all Father Mother Sisters Brothers & Friends

           

Good by for this time From your loveing Sone & Brother

W^m A Clark

 

Direct as the hedding of this letter we have been lettered and placed in the 19^th Reg for the present                                                                           

W^m A Clark

Martindale Barracks

Washington DC

Feb 7^th 1863. 4                                   

Sunday                       

           

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers

I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you in answer to the letter that i received from Sisters Jane & Josie i received it day before yesterday and was glad to hear that you wer all well and am happy to say the same for my selfe i have had another attact of the diarrea but it is better now i think i shall get an examination for the sec Batalion this comeing week i wrote a letter to Senator Foster of Conn and he was so busy that he could not come to sea me for a few days so he sent his wifes sister to let me know that he received my letter She is from Massachusetts and is connected with the Sanitary afairs of that State She sayes she will send a writen statement to him of my case and if i am of no use here she will try and get me home she sayes he will be here as soon as he is over his hurry i think i shall get a furlow or something of the kind some time this spring so be of good chear for there is good times in store for us all. there is not mutch nuse here there is a great many men reenlisting and going to the / front every day the nuse from the armie of the Potomac is good the men are all in good spirits and but little sickness in any Reg the nuse from the South is far more interesting for the Rebs sayes they shall not be able to resist mutch longer at Charleston espetialy if we attact Wilmington North Carolina or Savanna Georgia whitch points will be attacted if report is true and that in a short time the weather is warm and foggy the grass begins to look grean an soon spring will be upon us in all its splendor. You kneed not wory if you do not hear from me so often for i am out of envelops and as i did not get my pay last Pay Day i shall have to stop writing so often. there is a larg number of the men here that have the mumps and now and then a case of the small Pox but they are few. Business now is very florishing in this City the Capitol is thronged nearly every day with visitors from all parts of the country Sunday morning inspection is over and dinner is near ready we are to have Beeaf soop and potatoes i have nothing to do only sweep the stairs and scrub them once a week then i wash my shirts & drawers as i have no more to write i will close for this time leaveing you all in the care of God. I remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother.

                                                                                                           

W^m A Clark

 

[front side margin]

 

I have just received a letter from Pheebe Jane is there & well

Feb 20th 1863                                                                                                     

Martindale Barracks                                                                                                     

Washington D C

                                                                                                   

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers

I now take this opportunity to pencell a few lines to you your letter of the 15^th with paper envelop and 10 cts is duly received and i am glad you are all in sutch good health and am happy to say i am no worse. We have had quite a change in things here for the past week one of ower Doctors that belonged here was on a visit to Philadelphia the other day and while there he was run over by the cars and killed and the other / Doctor has been sent away so we have a new one he told me this morning to come to the hospital and if i was no better he would give me a high low for a short time or something better so i think i shall get a chance to go home this spring there is not mutch nuse here at present the fire bell has just struck the alarm for the 3^d District the hospital that i am in is a few rods from the company so you can Direct my letters the same as ever as i have no nuse i will close my love to all i remain as ever Your loveing Sone & Brother W^m A Clark /

           

The weather has been cold for the pas two days but it is warm today and soon the spring will be upon us in all its beauty. the nuse from the armie is good there promises to be a very active campaign this cumming season we have a large number of deserters from the Reb armie here in this citty they came here from the front and had no officer with them they seam to be glad to get here and further more they say that the Rebs have 4 lines of pickets to keep the men from deserting there was 50 / from one of the North Carolina Reg deserted in one night they wer on the out side line they all swam the Rapidan River and came into ower lines a large number have enlisted into the Invalid Corps for they had no work here so they sayed they would enlist if they did not have to go out to get taken by Rebs again they report every thing high and very scarce.

 

leaveing you all in the care of God i will close

           

Good by for this time

WAClark

March 12th 1864                                                                                                 

Martindale Barricks

Washington DC

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brother I now take pen in hand to scratch a few lines to you to inform that youres of the 7^th is at hand and i am glad to hear from you and more so to hear that you are all well and in good spirits I am at present very well as well as can be expected i am in hopes of getting home this spring for a few days I was examined by order of the Medical Director night before last and the Doctor sayed I had better stay in the / service untill fall so as to get the bounty and then he sayed by that time the sec Bat would be broken up he thought I have not heard what he set me down for as yet but i think the Sec Batalion i have been to Senator Foster one of the senators from Conn and he was the one that had me examined for the Sec Bat he sayed it would be better for me to get my discharge there and he has done all in his power for me more than any one of you think when i get a chance to come home i will tell you all i shall go and sea / him day after tomorrow to sea if i can get a furlough for 20 days to come home to look around the country a little there is not mutch nuse here we had a hard shower last night it lightened very sharp today the weather is warm and pleasent as it is Saturday after noon and we have to scrub out i will close with my best respects to all write soon and i will try and answer as soon as received. Sister Jane as you are the writer of the last i will say one word to you i am glad you write all the nuse you can think of as you say you sayed you was / thinking of trying the old brick shop again you must not work your selfe down sick again and if you and Pheebe can find a place to live and had rather do that way you can do so I will do all i can to help you a long so now you have my mind and you boath can act your own pleasure as it is late i will close Give my best respects to one and may God bless you all. Good by for this time.    From your true and loveing Sone & Brother

 

William A Clark

Co D 19^th Reg I.C.

 

Lutenant General Grant                                                                      

was here yesterday and

left the City last night                                                                        

for Tenessee he is agoing

to have an active summers

campaign by all appearances

                        my love to All

Sherburne Barricks

Carroll Hill     Washington DC

May 1^st 1864                                                                                                               

                                   

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers

I now sit my selfe down to write a letter to Pheebe and not forgetting you one and all i will try and send a few lines to interest you for a few moments as to Day is the Birth Day of your Humble Servent i am thinking it is my duty to selebrate it by writing to you I have just returned from the Baltimore & Ohio R.R. Depot where we have men on duty and i / carry their rations to them by the help of one & some times two men it is near half a mild from where the Barricks are and the Capitol is just half way so we start and get to the Capitol then set down and view the building and also the men at work in the yard and on the dome or top of the Capitol whitch is nearly done this season i think will finish the dome. While on my return from the Depot i saw the 2^d Ohio Cavelry going to the front also a Reg of darkies from Mass. i believe yesterday there was two or more Regts went / to the front the city is full of soldiers on their way to the front the Armie of the Potomac is getting very large i think for there has been a very large force sent their to General Grant this last month past.The weather is very nise and everything nearly is in bloom i saw a lady the other day with a bunch of radishes and some very nise Pie Plant that she got in market the market is filling very fast with all sorts of provision sutch as lettic greans of all sorts radishes pie plant and soon there will be string beans & pears. Apels are very plenty but pretty high from $4. to $8. pr barrell Butter fell 20^cts / on a pound in one day and if it comes in as fast as it has done for 2 weeks it will get down where we can reach it very handy and another thing is there is a likelyhood of the soldiers getting from 3 to 5 dollars a month more wages they are at work for it in the senate and soon it will pass i think to give us from the first of January or from the first of May $16. or 18 Dollars in the place of 13 that we now get as it is late in the after noon i will close by stating that my health is about the same as when i was at home hoping these few lines will find you all in the best of health and spirits i remain as ever your loveing Sone and Brother

William A Clark

                       

Good by

Sherburne Barricks

Carroll Hill     Washington D.C.

May 14^th 1864                                                                                                            

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters and Brothers I now at this late hower begin to answer yours of the 12^th the reason i have not wrote before is a good one i had no stamps and i did not like to send a letter without for it costs double at the end of the rout but to day i received a letter from Pheebe with some stamps so i hasten to answer your letter My health is about the same as ever and by your letter i sea you / are all well as usual as for Jessie i am glad he remembers my birth day enough to send me a present i will try and send him a present when i am home and he is off at war i shall keep that lock of hair as long as i live may be for it will remind me of many things first of my being far from home in the service of the Government also the caus of my being so far away from home third and last of the respect and esteam that i am held by one so young in years There is the best nuse that could be wished / for to night the paper sayes the Reble General Longstreet was dead also General Lee was badly woundid in the sholder. Lute General Grant is shoveing the rebles at all points ower armie has advanced over 30 miles in seven days and fought every day has captured near 50 pieces of artilery also near 10 thousand prisoners and small arms without number. every thing is nise the rebs in full retreat as it is near taps i will close for this time the weather is fine it has rained near every day for a week / the woundid are comeing in very fast near one third of them are slight woundid

my love to all

                                   

Write soon

                       

From your loveing

Sone and Brother

William A Clark

Sherburne Barricks

Washington. D.C.

 

May 29^th 1864

                        Dear Father Mother Sisters and Brothers I now take pen in hand to write you a few lines to inform you of my health & also my where abouts we are under marching orders and have been for several days but still stop at the same place my health is a bout the same as when i was home i was examined by the Colonell yesterday and tomorrow i expect to be examined by the / Board of Doctors as yet i cannot tell what the result will be but i am content with what ever comes. Father I received your kind and welcomb letter there was no Company or Reg on it and it was marked West Redding May 28 and i received it the 28 at about 3 oclock in the afternoon so i think there was some mistake in the dates for it takes 10 howers from new york and i got it about 9 howers after it left the office and that does not go down. The weather is very nise here and the nuse from the armie is good General Grant is now a bout crossing the / Pamunkey River on the right flank of the Rebel armie a bout 15 miles north of Richmond and soon you will hear of more glorious nuse than we have had the troops are going to the front every day and the one hundred days men are comeing in very fast nearly all the old troops have been sent to the front from the forts in and around the city and the forts are garisoned by the hundred days men the armie under General Grant is now about 25.000 stronger than it was before the fight and in a week if there is not a great deal of fighting his armie will be 50.000 / stronger than when he commenced his campaign the rumer is here that we are going to guard supplies for the armie from Washington to Port Royal on the rappihannock about 15 miles south of Fredricks Burg there is nothing more of importance to write so i will close I will write again as soon as i know where we are to go.

 

Leaveing you all in the care of God who doeth all things well.

 

I remain as ever your

loveing Sone & Brother

WAClark

Sherburne Barricks

Carroll Hill     Washington D.C.

June 1^st 1864              

 

Dear Parents Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write you a few lines to inform you that after a weeks suspence we are to stay here for a while longer after we wer ordered to pack ready for a march the Citizens of Washington sent in a petition for this Brigade to stay here this Brigade is the first Brig and is composed of the following Regts 1^st 6^th 9^th 19^th & 22^d Regs. there is not mutch nuse here / only nuse from the armie that is on the moove General Grant is now within seven miles of Richmond on the north and east and has made a junction with Butler or rather Smith he is now in command of the troops at that point and Butler is now Military Govornor of Verginia and North Carolina the armie in Georgia is driving the Rebles before them as yet and the nuse from all points is as well as could be wished for General Banks has had reinforcements sent and now General / Kerby Smith is now in command in Tenesee he superseded General Banks he has relieved the [?] from their dangerous position they are now safe and on the defensive for the present the health of the armie is good the sick and woundid are gaining very fast the weather here is very warm vegatables are plenty and very nise. My health is good that is about the same as when i was home I have not been examined by the Doctor as yet but I have just had orders to report to the Doctor for examination / at 7¼ Oclock tomorrow morning As it is near time for supper i will close sending my best respects to all. write soon and give all the nuse

 

Direct

Co. D. 19^th Reg. V.R.C.

Sherburne Barricks

Washington

D.C.

 

From your loveing

Sone & Brother

William A Clark

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal

Hospital                     

Washington DC

June 21^st 1864   

                                                         

Dear Parents Sisters & Brothers I now at this late hower take pen in hand to write a few lines to let you know how and where i am i am now acting as nurse in the post hospital in the Arsenal i have been hear now six days my health is a bout the same as usual there was a very sad accident here a few days ago the foreman in charge of the room where they make cartrages was making some signals / for the armie called stars and had them on copper pans and while standing in the sun by the side of the building they caught on fire and commenced going off and some flew into the building and there being near 5 barrels of loos powder it caught on fire and in a moment the building was in flames and in five minits the building was tore to pieces the number of ladies employed in this build when all there was 160 but on this day there was only about 125 there and out of that number there was 19 burned alive and about 20 woundid some so severe that death soon releaved them of their suffering. there was seven i think / that had their wounds dressed here out of the seven 4 are now dead and one or two more i think will die but we cannot say some persons will go through a great deal and others will stand but very little there is but one left in this Hospital this one is a cleark in the building that was explodid and is very badly burned his hands and also his head and face are a solid blister his head has been swolen very bad but is now better as it is late and this man has called for me to come and stay with him i will close with love and best wishes to all i will now close write as / soon as you can and give me all the nuse there was sent yesterday to General Grants & Butlers armies 12 hundred cases of shot and shell. today they have an order to send 7 000 000 rounds of small ammunition for muskets and rifel. it is all on board of steamers and by 12 Oclock tomorrow it will be ready for the army to use if nothing happens.

 

9 oclock and i will bid you all good night and subscribe my selfe your loveing Sone

William A Clark

 

Direct your letters to

U.S. Arsenal Hospital

            Washington

                        D.C.

U. S. Arsenal

Hospital          Washington DC

June 30^th 1864                               

                                         

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to inform you of the safe arival of your kind and welcom letter and i can assure you it was received with joy i am glad to hear that you are all except father enjoying your share of health but am very sorry Father has had sutch a misfortune as to loos the use of his eye at present for i think a person kneedes all the eyes they have these times and more so the advanced in / years when they kneede their eye sight most but tell him he mus do the best he can for it and in one year and a little over i shall if my life is spaired be home again and then may be i shall try to work out insted of in the shop. my health is about the same as ever i had the back dore trot for a few days but it is better now the place where i am now is a very good place i do not have to work very hard i will tell you just where i am if you have a map of Washington you will sea a point of land between the Potomac and the eastern branch of the Potomac and on the very point nearest the Potomac you will find / me if you come here to sea for i have been here two weeks and over and have not been to the City but twise once i went to the Sanitary Commition for the Doctor that is Doctor Porter he is the Surgeon that attends here he is a very nise man and he told me he was well acquainted with Doctor Ezra P Bennet of Danbury also with his sone and daughter. he is a young man about the age or younger than i am he was in Colage with Billy Benate and graduated 3 years ago then he entered the armie this spring he came here after being at the front over 2 years. he tries to make as little work for me as possible and is agoing to sea if he can do any thing for me. there is / now 3 soldiers sick in the hospital then there is one man that was burned they are all on the gain i think. Josie asked why i had not wrote before i believe i have wrote 3 letters since i received a letter and yesterday i received one and now i am trying my best to answer it. You spoke of the weather being warm it was some warm the thermomitor stood at 95 in the shade and 102 in the sun so you can judge for your selfe but today we have had a shower this is the third one in a weak there is not mutch nuse here armie nuse i am ignorant of for there is no nuse boys comes down here. as it is late i will close for this time leaving you all in the care of God. Receive my love and best wishes for all. Good by for this time I remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother

 

Signed

W^m A Clark

 

Direct to me                                        

U.S. Arsenal Hospital                                     

            Washington D.C.

U. S. Arsenal Hospital

Washington D.C.

July 8^th 1864                                       

Eavening 8 Oclock

 

Thermomitor Stands 90

      

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write you a few lines to inform you that i am well as usual I received your kind and welcom letter and was glad to hear that you wer all in sutch good health and more so to hear that Father was likely to save his eye in your next be sure and state how your eye is and what you are doing for it also how work is and wher you / are at work also give the particulars about Calvins folks give my best respects to Mr and Mrs Bartram also to Calvin and his family. There is one thing i like to sea in the letters that i get from home they all have something to say and when i get a letter from you all it seams almost like being there a short time then there is another thing i sea they all have some excus for not writing any more Jane sayes she must close for Josie to write Josie sayes she cannot write any more for she is lying in bed but Jessie beats them all he has a good excuse and also George for they boath say they / cannot write for want of knowlage that is a good reason and i will look over this for this time I am very glad to sea boys as small as Jessie & George writing so well in their next letter i should like to sea them try and give me the full particulars of the General nuse that is the health of all the weather the crops the garden the poultry that there is at home what kind of a cow what their occupation is and also how that old hen tasted

 

N.B. there is not mutch nuse here at present there is now 4 men sick in the hospital they are all able to go around the man that was burned so bad has nearly got well / he left here yesterday for his home he lives on the corner of West 16^th St and Q St North it is about 3 milds north of west from here. there was a large fire here the 5^th of July one whole square was burned to the ground. there is a very heavy shipment of ammunition to and from here daily a few days ago there was 70 shells sent away that was 15 inches in diameter and weighed before lodid 480 pounds it takes just 1 barrel of powder to shoot one of these marbles i saw 2 big stout darkies try to lift one of them but they could not lift it one inch from the ground yesterday there was about 20 thousand stand of arms came in from the battle field. there was also 4 brass Napoleon guns and caisons brought in that wer captured by Burnsides darkies near Peaters Burg. the taps have just soundid so i will give the patients their medacin and bid you all good night My love to all I remain your loveing sone and Brother                                                                   

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal

Hospital Washington

July 24^th 1864 D.C.

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to inform you that my health is about the same as usual and hope these few lines will find you all enjoying good health and in the best of spirits There is but little nuse here at present or rather i hear but little for i have no desire of going to the City an i do not get a daily paper very often so you will sea that as to the nuse i am not / as well posted as i might be but i try and keepe the run of the most of it the excitement has all quieted down and every thing goes on smooth around here there is not a great deal of shipments for the armie from here business is on a sort of a stand still at this place there is glorious nuse from General Sherman he has marched over 500 miles has whiped the enemy in every engagement and is now within 2 mild of the Capitol of Georgia has captured near 100 pieces of artilery has also captured near 10.000 prisoners and about (40,000) thousand stand of / small arms has recruted ten thousand men for his armie in the Rebel States and now is about to take possession of Atlanta without a battle this is as mutch as can be asked of him for one man in 6 months i think it is a merical almost and now to General Grant he is playing the same trick on the Rebs at Petersburg he did at Vicks Burg and ear long you will hear of the rebs finding live Yankies in their forts you remember how he undermined their forts and blew them up at VicksBurg he is at it now so i am informed by men that / came from there a short time since. ther is not many sick here now there is 3 sick here now one of them is a sitazen he is on the gain and in fact all are the man that was burned so bad is now all well so i hear i have not sean him since he left there has been but one soldier died here since i have been here he was a reenlisted man or a bounty jumper and he got discoraged and to cap off with he maried one of the scapegoats of the City or the jail i should have sayed and after that he sayed he wanted to die so he got his wants supplied as it is late i will close by sending my love and best respects to all

 

From your Sone and Brother

W^m A Clark

Washington Arsenal,

Washington, D C., August 4^th, 1864.

                       

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers

I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you acknowlageing the kind and welcomb letter and am hapy to hear that you are all well as usual only a little warm and i am also hapy to say that my health is about the same as usual and as near as i can judge we have had ower share of what we call warm weather the Thermomitor has been upwards of 120 degreas above zero in the sun and has been over 95 in the shade so you can judge for your selfe as to the weather. a day or two ago we had a splendid shower but the air is again on the increas as to warmpth but I have not suffered / mutch as yet today i have been out on the wharf in company with the Doctor also Major J. G. Benton Commander of the Arsenal and two Leutenants wer there fishing we caught about 75 small fish. the kind is as follows White Parch Common Pearch Sunfish White Catfish Smelt and one Eel we have a great deal of sport once in a while fishing Majors wife Mrs Porter the Doctors wife also some ladies that are on a visit to the Majors. All of them have to go a fishing every other night then we have sport for nearly all of them are afraid of fish and when we catch one we are sure to let it run into their line so they will pull up and then make them take the fish off while we are untangling the lines then we clame the fish. The fish now are running very small and i / have about given up the idea of trying to catch a deasent sized fish any more when we first began about 2 months ago we then had good luck catching cat fish that weighed from one pound to 5 pounds and also suckers they bight at the hook just the same as any fish but sutch luck is gon now and i think we shall have to postpone for a while.

 

N.B. There was another accident here yesterday eavening while 10 men belonging to the Ordinance Company was out in a sail boat the boat capsised and one man was drowned his body lay in the river near 12 howers before being found but was found after a thorough search with boat hooks. the Funeral is to be tomorrow on account of this day being Fast nothing has been done in the shape of work I was not busy day / before yesterday so i thought i would cast up one pile of 10 inch shells and now i will give you the number of the shells in length and breadth and highth and you send in your nex letter how many shells in the pile. length 70 shells, breadth, 9, highth 9. and then after you get that you just tell me how many balls there is in a 3 cornered or triangle shaped pile of balls that is 9 balls high wide long and in fact any side up it is all the same just let me know the No in boath piles at you leasure for it nearly stuck me to cast it right. as it is late I will close sending you all the love and best wishes of your loveing Sone & Brother hoping soon to hear from you all i remain as ever  Good Night

                                                                                                           

W^m A Clark

U. S. Arsenal Hosp.

Washington.   

August 10^th 1864        D.C.

                       

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to do as Jane asked me to do I have just received in the 4 Oclock mail your kind and welcom letter and was hapy to hear from you and more so to hear that you wer all in good health my health is about the same old sort. The nuse from the armie is glorious General Averril has captured near 500 prisoners 4 pieces of artilery and a large quantity of other / material of war and is now after the flying Rebs they are in full retreat for Richmond the main force of the Rebles are at Winchester There is also good nuse from General Sherman he has nearly surrounded Atlanta. report is in circulation of the sucksess of ower arms at Mobeal but to what extent i am unable to state. The steamer New World is now lying at the Navy Yard it is a very larg steamer the largest one that was built before the Great Eastern it has been used for a floating hospital but has now been relieved from that / duty I will try and give you an idea of the sise of the boat it is about as long as from that apple trea by the dore to the corner of the fence out towards Mrs Riders and is about 50 or 75 ft wide and has fore decks and then a small deck on top of about 2 ft in highth. It is about as high as a 4 story house this is as near as i can discribe this vessel by just seaing it pass or rather saw it lying in the stream about 40 rods from me. The bugle sayes lights out so i will draw to a close there is not mutch nuse here / Ammunition & arms are ariving here all the while and this is the way time passes the weather is very warm the Thermomitor stood at 95 i believe in the shade at 12 oclock and at 90 at 5 oclock in the afternoon leaveing you all in the care of God i will close.

                                               

my best respe to all

Good by

From your loveing

Sone & Brother

W^m. A. Clark

U. S. Arsenal Hospt

Washington DC

Aug 27^th 1864                        

 

To George E. Clark

 

            Brother George how do you do I am pretty well how do you do Bully & i am bully how have you been for the pas three months George o pretty well I am glad to hear that you are all so well and all so hapy to sea you & Jesse so willing to write to me and also to think you wish to have me write to you in person i hope you will allways be so because if so you will soon learn to do / business for your selfe you say you are at school i hope you will improove every moment of your time. get as good an education as you can and then do all you can your selfe to help you along you are now old enough to read well and you can write very well you had ought to be where i have been for 2 years past then you would sea the want of a good education I have sean hundreds of men that could neather read nor write what a dreadful thing cannot write to their Father or Mother and many of them have Wives & Children cannot write to them. as it is late i will close hoping you will write to me often I remain your loveing Brother.

 

Good Night                                                                

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal Hospt

Washington DC

August 27^th 1864                               

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters and Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you acknowlageing your kind and welcomb letter and was hapy to hear that you wer all enjoying good health and I am also hapy to state that my health is about the same as usual you say in your letter that the weather is mutch cooler than it has been we have had a considerable rain here but the air is very warm here now the reason that I have been did not answer your letter before was because there has / been several sent here to the hospital there is now 9 in hospital i have been very busy getting straw and filling beds and fixing for them to be as comfortable as possible the diseases are mostly Chronic Diarrea and Typhoid Fever there is none of them that is dangerous and but one but is able to walk around yesterday the Doct nicked out one of the sick men and told him to help me. there is but little nuse here only armie nuse there has been several vessels sent away from the Navy Yard this week this morning there was one called the Double ender sent to Fortress Monroe there is several now waiting orders to leave / I was up to the City yesterday on business for the Doct there is quite an excitement here in the City about reenlisting there has several reenlisted from the Co. that I belong to but the Diarea Corps will not katch me for I never enlisted to go into it and i will never reenlist to go into it that is a sure case. when I reenlist i want to go to the field where I enlist to go and when i am unable to stay thare then i want to go to my home and not be under men that are to cowerdly to go where they are wanted and try to stop around in cities and suck their living Glory be to God if my life is spared I shall be out of their reach in just one year / from the date of this letter. There is nothing more to write about that comes to my mind so I will close

 

my love and best wishes to one and all

                                                                       

Good by for this time write soon,

                                                                       

I remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal

Hospt.              Washington. DC

Sept 10^th 1864.                                   

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand at this late hower to acknowlage the receipt of your kind and welcomb letter I was hapy to hear that you wer all in good health and I am hapy to state that my health is good I have been sick with the bilious feaver but i have compleetly recovered now i was confined to my bead 4 days and was unable to write so you must excuse me for this delay then after the receipt of your letter i was so busy / i was unable to answer it untill now there is but very little nuse here there is a considerable talk of the comeing campaign the general opinion is that Abraham Lincoln will be the next President. there wer a great many here in the City six months ago that would have voted for Mclelland but are very strong against him the soldiers almost every one of them will vote for Lincoln. I was up to the sanitary Commition yesterday to get a lot of stuff for the sick such as wine dried apples lemons condensed milk and green tea Several other things crackers &c then i went to one of the stores in the city and got some chickens some potatoes. the sick are very well taken care of here / for a small hospital there is now seven in the Hospt now none of them are dangerous though at present. the major that is Maj J. G. Benton Commander of the Post has been away for a short time but has returned it was reported that he was to take General Ramseys place as Chiefe of ordinance but i think he will not except of it at present. The steamer Conn arived from City Point yesterday with sick and woundid soldiers the No i did not learn but i think there was several hundred the steamer John Brooks is now passing with the mail and a few passengers from City Point. there is a few steamers running all the while cariing freight to / and from here there is one loading now to go to Mass Harbor. their cargo is gun cariges for large forts. my Reg that i now belong to has gon some where i know not where my Co was taken a way from here last week and the report was that they wer going to Elmira New York but i was left behind the Doctor sayed he was going to keepe me here as it is late i will now close I remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother

William A. Clark

 

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As my paper & envelops is running low i am obliged to send a white envelop

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal Hospt

Washington DC

Oct 3^d 1864               

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to inform you of the safe arival of my selfe at the old place and i also find my health is about the same as when i was home though I have not had the feaver & ague since i came back Now to the jorney I arived in Norwalk just in time for the Express train for N.Y. and arived at 27 S^t about ½ past 10 then i took the 4^th Avenue cars to the / Astor House then i went direct to Ferry and arived in Jersy City about an hower to late for the 10 Oclock train for Washington so all i could do was to wait untill ½ past seven in the eavening while wating there i saw George B. Mclellan & lady they came in from Philadelphia then i went out into the city untill i got tired then i went into Talors Hotell close to the Depot and there was about 200 in there drinking and some fighting over politics so i left there and went to the Depot and stayed untill time for the train then i was among the first to be seated i arived in Washington about 6 oclock Sunday morn then i took the city cars / to within about ½ a mild of the Hospt i arived at the Hospt about 8 Oclock and the Doctor nor stewart did not know me at first but they wer hapy when they saw it was me they boath sayed every thing had gon backwards ever since i left then i sent those large apples and a few nuts to Mrs Porter and she was as hapy as a baby with a stick of candy she thanked me a thousand times for them. the Doctor had a hundred questions or more to ask and in fact faster than i could answer them about the liveing i had while home and if i was sick and how i was handled and what medacin i took in fact every / thing nearly he asked that he could there is not mutch nuse the armie under sheridan & Hunter are after Earlies command as far as can be expected General Grant has made a very bold strike on the north side of the James River and captured several pieces of artilery and about 500 prisoners also has taken a portion of their heavy brest workes and still holds them he has also made an attact on the South Side R.R. but with what result i have not learned Farigut is now remooving obstructions in the chanell near Mobeal in fact every thing look well as it is late i will close my love and best respects to all

Good night. I remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother.

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal Hospt

Washington DC

Oct 12^th 1864               

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take this opportunity to write a few lines to inform you of the safe arival of your letter and was hapy to hear from you and more so to hear that you wer all in good health and i am also hapy to state that my health is good i have not had a chill since i came back i feal first rate the most of the time for the last two days i have been very busy we have had a large supply of medacin / that is three months supplies and we have to on pack them and place each kind by it selfe and it is no very easy job there is now but 2 sick in Hospt Mrs Porter the Doctors Wife made him a present a few days ago of a girl weighing 14 pounds what do you think if that There is not mutch nuse here. there was a vessel came here day before yesterday and unlodid 100 15 inch shells they weigh 429 lbs each and they are empty yet they are old rattlers i tell you it takes just a barrell of powder to shoot one of them they are to be sent to charleston i believe the rebs call them Gilmores / wagon train. there is no nuse boys comes here so i cannot give you the war nuse this time there has been some hard fiting and ower men caried their point at every attact capturing some artilery and small arms which are now here. the weather has been very nise here for a few days but today we had a little rain but the sun set clear tonight as i can think of no more i will close for this time Good Night all I remain as ever

           

your loving Sone

W^m. A. Clark

 

Write Soon & often.

 

My best respects & well wishes to one and all.

U. S. Arsenal Hospt

Washington DC

Oct 23^d 1864               

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you to inform you that i am well and in the best of spirits I have been unwell and i was afraid i should have the bilious fever but the Doctor has stoped it and i now feal very well my head troubled me very mutch while i was unwell but one morning the sixth day i believe after i was taken the Doctor gave me a new kind of medacin and / the first dose helped me in a very short time and he told me to stop as soon as my head ache left so i did not take but three doses the Doctor has done more for me than any other Doctor in the armie he & Mrs Porter thinks a great deal of me i was over to sea their baby it is a nise baby i can tell you Mrs Porter is a very pleasent woman it seams like being at home almost to be in her house for she is a real mother for a young woman she is a little older than Pheebe and about the same sise. The weather here is very plesent we have had a shower for two nights in succession but of short duration the days are / warm we have had only one frost yet the leaves are dropping a considerable there is good nuse from the armie Sentral Division in the valley. General Sherridan a short time sinc came to Washington on business or on a visit the Rebs heard of it and sent to Richmond for General Longstreet and his armie he came to Earley and attacted ower force drove them back 4 milds and captured 20 pieces of artilery but as providence saw fit to send Sherridan back just in time for the fight he arived and hearing the cannonading he started for the field and in a short time he had a new line formed and then / the Rebs came again but not to victory they wer stopped Sherridan drove them back captured over 50 pieces of artilery 1500 prisoners and drove them 8 milds this is what you can call a defeat turned into a victory in a few howers. there is nothing of importance here. NB I was up to the city to see the state agent and he gave me 2 pair of red flannel drawers also 2 red flannel shirts they wer very nise i have not had any chance to get any clothing yet to send home i am on the watch all the while but the Companies that are here are strangers to me so i have not been among them mutch yet. as it is late i will draw to a close for this time. Leaveing you all in the care of God who doeth all things well i bid you all good night. from your loveing Sone & Brother WAClark

 

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For President. Abraham. Lincoln.

For Vise Presadent. Andy. Johnson.

Mac is Dead.

U. S. Arsenal Hospt

Washington D.C.

Dc 7^th 1864               

 

                        Well George I sea you had your finger in the dish the last time with the rest so I must not forget you for if i do i shall catch a lecture the next time i sea you between fear & jelosy i will write a few words to you first stating my health is good at present and by your letter i sea yours is likewise the same. the weather here is very warm but today it rains a very little but tonight it is clear. George the next time you write i want you to tell me how many schollars / there is in your class and what your number is and how many times you have been at the head of your class remember now for i am afraid Jesse is getting a head of you some ways but if you try you can catch up. be a good boy at home & at school and not waist a moment in your studies for if you do you never will gain it for time & tide waits for no man.

 

You tell me how many traps you have & how many rabbits you have catched and the nuse in general. as i have to write a long letter to Jane i will close this with my reguards to you & all

 

From your Brother

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal Hosp^t

Washington, D.C.

Dc 7^th  1864

           

Dear Sister as William was writing I thought i would improove the time in the same way

 

How Do you Do. I am well & so are you.                 

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal Hospital         

Washington DC

Dc 7^th  1864.

 

Dear Brother

I now as i have a few spare moments take pen in hand to answer your kind and welcomb letter I am hapy to hear you are well and more so to hear you say you are again to commence your studies you say this is your last winter whether it is or not I hope you will improove every moment of your time and always try to be the best Schollar in school for i can sea the folley of idleing my / time whitch if i had improoved i could have been in a mutch higher position today only for me wasting my time in idleness i do not mean idleness at school only but at home the first thing for a good schollar is to learn to obey and that is allways learned at home first. Now as I have tried to give you good advise from experience I hope you will take it as such and improove in every thing. I will now close for this time Believe me your loveing Brother

                                                                                   

WAClark

To Jesse Clark

U. S. Arsenal. Hospt.

Washington. D.C.

Dc 7^th  1864.  

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers

I now take pen in hand to inform you that i am in better health than i have been for some time past yesterday i had an attact of the bilious fever and was very bad for some time but i doctored my selfe and now i feal better than i have done for some time past. I received your kind and welcomb letter the 6^th and was very hapy to hear that you wer / well one & all. 2 P.M.

 

I have just received that box with 2 turkies & one cock or rooster more commonly called they are all right and nise ones to as soon as i get paid I will send the money to you if you want it if not i will pay when i get home Nuse from the armie is good Sherman has marched acrost the State of Georgia and is now holding communication with ower force near Savania Grant has made an other raid capturing 3 pieces of artilery 200 prisoners and several thousand dollars worth of small arms and also other armie equipments & forage for horses he has also destroyed a branch R.Road / that was near being completed. General Tomas has surprised the Reble General Prise in the west and captured a quite an amount of arms and stores of all kinds General Canby has nearly recovered from his sickness in the sothron Department the nuse from Sheridan is that the Reble General Early has gon to Ritchmond and the 6^th Armie Corps has been sent from Sheridans armie to Grant at or near Ritchmond the Second Session of the 38^th Congress has commenced the Presidents message was read at 2 oclock yesterday i will send it to you in a few days in the paper here most likely you will sea / it before i send it but if so no harm done there is but little nuse here in the city. N.B. Tell Levi if he can get a chance to come here about the first of January i think he could make a good thing in buying horses there was about 200 sold last week from $2.00 (two) Dollars to $90. (ninty) Dollars each there was as fine a stalion 8 years olld sold as you would wish to sea for $85. becaus he was always fighting the other horses and by the way he could do something for me i think there is no harm in trying if he will as i am near tired and my paper limated i will close with my love & best respects to all I remain as ever Your loveing Sone & Brother

                                                                                                           

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal Hospt

Washington. D.C.

Dc 27^th             1864   

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you to inform you that my health is good that is as good as it has been for some time past hoping these few lines will find you all in good health I have given up the idea of getting a letter from you i have not had a letter from home for a long time about a week before i received / the turkies i have wrote three or fore times since but can get no answer the Doc told me some day since that he received a note from my Father that he had sent a box to me and asked me if i had wrote since i received them i told him i had he told me that that was enough that there was no use of him writing if i had done so all ready. we have killed one of the turkies and had it for Christmas we had a nise dinner we had roast turkey potatoes parsnips onions celery plumb puding mince & aple pies two or three kinds of kakes brandy & whiskey & egg nog / and wine if we wanted the day passed off very well and to make it better we had the nuse of the capture of Savanna by Sherman with no fighting of any amount he captured 33,000 bails of cotton 150 heavy guns 800 prisoners 190 cars 13 locomotives all in good order also 3 steamers and large quantity of ammunition the Reb General Hardee with about 8000 men left the night before the capture for Charleston this is what you may call a very nise prize for the Government the cotton alone is estimated at $20,000,000 of dollars. the weather here is warm the river is full of steamers taking soldiers below the 19^th & 8^th Armie Corps are on their way from / from the valey to Grant there is no snow of any account and the river has not been frozen so as to stop steamers but one day or two hoping i shall hear from you before my time is out i will bid you all good night.

 

From your loveing Sone

and brother

William A Clark

U. S. Arsenal

Hospt   Washington D.C.

Jan 8^th  1865   

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers

I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to inform you of the safe arival of your kind and welcomb letter It found me well as usual and i was hapy to hear that you wer all as well as usual you must excuse me for not writing to you before I have been very busy for the last week / there is 4 sick in hospt and we have been white washing the Hospt and the cook has been on a two days pass and i was cook Nurse and all but if my health is spared i will try and be with you nex season to enjoy the Holidays there is not mutch sickness here now the men that are in Hospt are men that have some old disease hanging on to them from neglect of their own months since. You speak of Calvins being sick i hope may recover ear long and be around for it is bad to have sickness but it can not be helped by man / God alone can cure and it is ower duty each and every one to do ower duty to God & man so that in the future we shall be prepaired to meat him at the bar of Justice many is the temptation of a soldier that is away from home and friends but i hope to do my duty as a soldier while in the armie and hear after to God I have just been writing to Pheebe and i am near tired there is nothing of importance here the day is very plesent I have not sean the papers for a few days so i am unable to give / you the nuse from the armie but the last i saw the progress was good through the whole armie there has been two vessels sent out now within a few days past from the Navy Yard they wer some that was captured on the coast of North Carolina they wer blockade runners they are refitted now and are sent below for use as it is late i will bid you all good after noon.

 

receive this from your

loveing Sone & Brother

WAClark

U. S. Arsenal.

Hospt   Washington. D.C.

January 25^th  1865   

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to write a few lines to you to inform you of my health it is about the same as when i was last with you and as you have not writen to me but twise since i came from furlough or rather i have not received but two letters so i am unable to gess what your health is at home and i am nearly tired of / writing and getting no answer but i thought you might not get my letters and this is the reason why i write but if i have not guessed the reason i should like to know what is the reason of your not writing. The weather here is pretty cold there is a skim of ice on the ground but the river is not frozen so as to stop the boats from running the nuse from the armie is glorious General Sherman is on the march from Savannah to Charleston. Comadore Porter has with a command of the armie under General Terry taken Fort Fisher and several other small works also / several steamers and about (2,000) two thousand prisoners upwards of (70) seventy cannon and is now in a fair way to take Wilmington. There is but little nuse from the armie of the Potomac. there is pretty strong talk of peace in the Reble Congress and public opinion is here that the Rebelion is near its death strugle. We had a very large fire here yesterday the Smith Sonean Building was about 3 Oclock P.M. discovered to be on fire and in a short time there wer a large croud gathered to sea and help put it out there was a Reg of Infantry and a squadron of Cavelry to keepe the people from the / building for many came just for plunder this building was a museum gathered from all parts of the world the building was nearly distroyed it is supposed to be the work of an incendary i understand there was one lady died from the effect of seaing the fire and one policeman was killed by being struck by a brick from the building the loss i have not learned but it is very heavy as it is now late i will now close with my love and best respects to one and all

 

I remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother

W^m A Clark

 

N.B. The Doctors Wifes Brother was in command of Fort Fisher he was a Reble Colonel or General i do not know whitch the Doctor told me he was woundid 3 times and is a prisoner and is to be sent to Baltimore or Washington. my health is very good 7 P.M.

better than it has been    WAClark

 

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There is 4 in Hospt we have got through cleaning house for this season There will be a reseption to the White house the second of Febuary come one come all

U. S. Arsenal Hospt               

Washington DC         

Feb 9^th 1865

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers

I now at this late hower take pen in hand to write you a few lines to acknowlage your kind letter i was hapy to hear from you all and more so to hear that you wer all enjoying good health and i am also hapy to say my health is as good as usual if not better i feal strong and harty the most of the time and have a very strong appetite for fresh beef and vegatables but pork or bacon i can eat but very little for it makes me sick once in a while Pheebe sends me a little money then i get a little butter but it is played out for they charge 75 cts and 80 cts for butter here and i cannot stand that for I have not had any pay since last June so you can judge how mutch money i have on hand not enough to be afraid of going to the City for pick pockets would be ashamed to try my pockets for money like a dandy fide young fellow the other day was in the City with small cards on his pockets (To Let) he was asked what that men his answer was that they were empty 

 

By the way I was up to the City yesterday I went to the Capitol to sea the Electorial vote cast for President & Vice President, for the comeing fore years Commencing on the fourth of March 1865 and ending March forth 1869. The Senators asembled in the House of Representatives at one Oclock they marched in by twos headed by Hanable Hamlin now Vice Presadent and at 1 Oclock the house was called to order then the Vice President broke the seals and open each vote or rather each State and handed them to one of the Senators at the same time calling the name of the State commencing with the State of Mane and ending with the State of Arizona then after they wer read seperately the whol vote was declaired the whol Nomber was 233 votes of which Abraham Lincoln of Illanois received 212 also Andrew Johnson of Tenesee received 212, And George B. McClelan of New Jersey rec 21 and George H Pendleton of Ohio rec 21 as you will sea by the vote that is here stated, Abe & Andy drives the team for the next fore years if their lives are spared. after the vote was declared there was great aplaus from nearly all. The house was densely packed with all sext / and classes besides hundreds that could not get within hearing distance I went at 12M. and managed to get a very good place at 2 P.M. after the Senate or rather the members of the Senate ajorned to their apartment i left and took the F & H Street cars and went to the State Agents there I received some religious tracts papers and almanacs for 1865 after a brief conversation i left for home taking the 7 S^t cars arived home at about 4 Oclock well satisfied with my days jorney. The weather here is pretty severe just now old people say this is the hardest winter here they ever saw Tuesday it begun to snow and kept on untill 4 in the after noon then rain set in there was about 4 inches of snow fell at seven at night the rain turned to hail and soon after stoped and yesterday it was very pleasent but very bad traveling today is cold and the ancor ice in the river nearly stops the boats from running but the season is short here now for snow or ice for in a very short time it will be so warm you can hardly breath without swetting and then is the time when mosketoes bed bugs and cock roaches will whistle at you night and day. There is but little war nuse at present the opinion is here that the whole armie is about / to moove and as soon as the weather get a little warmer you can look for nuse any amount of it. The late visit of the President and Secratary Stanton with the Reble Commitioners has prooved no avail the South will hear to nothing but recognition to be a seperate Government and now you can expect fighting soon. In this City they are paying $1,000 Bounty for 3 years $600 for 2 years and $450 for one year and i think they have their quota near filled in some Wards they are defitient but as a jeneral thing they are nearly clear of the Draft. As it is now near 8 Oclock i will close for this time leaveing you all in the care of God who doeth all things well.

 

my love and best wishes to all.

           

I remain as ever your loveing Sone and Brother

Good Night.

 

William A Clark.

U. S. Arsenal. Hospt.

Washington D.C.

March 15^th 1865

 

Dear Father Mother Sisters & Brothers I now take pen in hand to acknolage your kind and welcomb letter of the 12^th it came to hand on the 14^th and not haveing a great deal of time to spare i did not answer your letter yesterday I am hapy to hear that you are all well and more so to state my health is improveing every day i am able to eat nearly every thing i had a striped bass for breakfast the other day / he weighed 3 pounds and cost 60 cts they begin to catch cat fish perch pumbkin seads and bass also herings soon they will catch shad the weather is very warm i have not had fire in the Ward but once in 2 weeks and the Thermomiter stands 70 degreas above zero. there is a great many Reb deserters comeing in now there has been near 100 here at this Post to get paid for their guns in 3 days the Government gives (8) Eight Dollars a piece for their muskets as soon as they take the Oath of Alegience they say they have given up all hopes of whipping the north and the men are discoraged and tired of fighting and want to go home the nuse from the armie is good and the armie is being reenforced very fast now the exchange of prisoners is going on lively now there is not mutch nuse in this place just now I shall try and get home this spring if i can There is now 4 sick in hospital and i am kept pretty busy. I was out in the City today with Mrs Porter. there goes the Bugle for 9 Oclock and i must close i remain as ever your loveing Sone & Brother         

William A Clark

 

my best respects to all Good night

Washington Arsenal

March 26.1865.

 

This certifies that Private W. A. Clark C^o D. 19^th Reg^t V.R.C. was last paid to include Dec^r 31.1865. by Maj A. H. Seward P.M. U.S.A. and that he was mustered at this Post for the months of January & February 1865.

 

A. J. Nickson

Lieut Ord Comdg.

Washington July 3^rd 1865

 

Dear Sister Nellie

As i have a few spare moments i will improve them by writeing to you i am well this morning and hope these few lines will find you enjoying the same blessing it is quite cool and pleasent this morning i supose you are agoing to have a fine time tomorrow i wish i could be there We expected to Billys discharge was sent to the War Department more than a week ago they are very busy there he will have to wait his turn i supose he expects it every day there has been another Nurse there for a week expecting every day he would go away i was down there a week ago and saw a man dying and saw him after he / was dead i want to come home very much i dont think i shall get so far from home again very soon We will be home in a few weeks any way i think befor long but cant tell Write soon Nellie and give me all the news i wish you would ask Mother to get me one yard and a quarter more of that dress skirt she sent me get it laid by for me i think the skirt is not quite full enough She need not mind about getting it only to have it kept it will do very well as it is i had rather have another width in it i will send a small piece to match it by Give my love to Mother and all kiss Sammy and the Baby for me tell Sammy aunt Phebe is comeing home in a short time to see him and ask him what she will bring him and the baby tell the girls not / Write so often to me did i ever answer that letter Hannah wrote me i have forgotten give my love and Billys to all inquireing Friends that is if any inquire and take a share for your own Dear Self tell George Mary and Arthur i am mad with them for not writeing to me good bye Nellie Darling Sister be a good girl and get married the first chance you get is the parting advice of your Loveing Sister

                                                                                                           

Pheebe

Washington July 30^th 1865

 

Dear Sister Nellie

I received your kind welcome letter yesterday and was glad to hear from you I have not been very well for a few days i am better to day i have not heard from Billy yet i shall look for him this week i am glad the boys are comeing home i guess Billy will be about the last

 

We had a hard rain and hail storm here yesterday afternoon it is raining every few moments now 4 weeks from to day Billys time will be out if he haves to stay that long

 

We will be home in a short time after he gets back tell mother to use the money she gets the 1^st of August i dont know how much / there is due her for papers i will make it all right when i come home

 

i heard Billy had gone to some place below the Island of Cuba to some Fort the Government were building. i do not think any one knows where they are except those that sent them even Doctor Porter did not know when he started i have a new silk sash 13½ dollars how are they selling at home and another calico dress 31^cts a yard i am not agoing to get any nice dress here i have to pay so much for getting it made five dollars for anything beyond a plain dress then i dont know wether they will spoil it or not tell Sammy i wont forget his candy give my love to all inquireing friends to Mother and all the family kiss the Babies for me When i come home i want you to bring Sammy up to the cars to meet me ask him if he wants to go up to the cars to / meet Aunt Pheebe and get candy and a new hat Good bye Nellie Mother Sammy and all the rest of you for this time i remain as ever your loveing Sister

                                                                       

Pheebe

                                               

From Pheebe to her Darling Sister Nellie

 

PS i have received a letter from Mrs Way and answered it

 

When this you See

Remember me