With stunning patriotic flag cover, addressed “To my darling wife”. Dated “Charleston, Va, July 20th ‘61”. 4 pp., in pencil, on line paper, 8 x 5”. Upper left stationery corner, features a seated, colored figure of liberty, w/ “Jennie” printed neatly in pencil over the top. Exhibits fold-marks, w/slight soiling along fold-lines. Near fine, w/superb cover.

Text:

Letter salutation and intro “My Darling Wife ….Jennie you cannot imagine happy I am think I can write to you once more and thank the Lord I am well and able to do as much as any of them. I have had no fighting to do yet and I think we shant and I know I shant if I don’t before the 22nd of August. Only a little while longer and you will have your Edd and I hope if I am foolish enough to ever leave my Pet again that something very bad will happen to me. For Jennie I can’t stand it much longer without seeing my little wife and God only knows how I want to get Home. And all that keeps me up is the hopes of living to see again if I ever do then I will be contented always.

I have seen some hard times sInce I have been away, and exp0ect to see harder before I get tack. While we were at Martinsburg we had a little skirmish with the Secession Cavalry. There was some out of each the companys and compt. Of the 28th Regt. out on a Foraging tramp and saw about 40 of them which resulted in the death of two of the cavalry and one of the 28th Boys. They brought him into their camp which was across the road from us and in the morning they buried on a beautiful little mound by the camp. The Secesh were fastened in their saddles so when they retreat the horses followed the rest of them and they did not get them.

The day before some of the boys strayed away from camp to far and two of them were taken by the Secesh and we have heard nothing from them since4, but an old woman on the round from Martinsburg told us that she saw the Cavalry go past her house and they had 2 prisoners with them and the Captain was shot in the wrist so he had his hand cut off. So I guess the Boys must showed them what a them a Union man could do.

We are fairly in among the enemy now so much so that there 90 men from each Regt. have sent out evry night as a Picket Guard and I believe it is our Compys turn to go out tonight. There is 32,00 troops here and I understand we are to wait till there is 100,000. There is 4 or 5 Regts that their time is out next week and they going home. There is one at Harper’s Ferry that going Monday. They can take the cars from there to Washington. Only for Colonel Clark blast him we might have been there yet but the Boys so sick of him that went rigyht to his and gave 3 groans for him and 3 cheers for Lieut Col. Seward. But he is played out out now for they have had him under arrest ever since we got to Martinsburg. There was a charge against him signed by evry Capt. In the Regt. but I don’t know what it is. And Major Doubleday has one too. [W}hen we come to Martinsburg from Washington we come to Guard a large rifle Canon for his Battery and Clark left it at Hagerstown with only one Company to bring it through and that is the complaint he has against him. It is said to be the best Canon in the Service. Major Doubleday says he is sure of any thing the size of a house at the distance of 7 miles it carries a 30 pound Ball. And I think it will be pretty hard on some Secesh town before long. Clark will have a Court Martial when we get in Washington which will be the 18^th of August. There is then to be a review of all the 3 months Volunteers in the service, and then I think we will come HOME….

Baby you must write me a good long letter and tell me just how you are getting along, and if you get any money from Auburn yet and how father gets along……..may God Bless and protect you till I come/ Your loving Husband Eddie”.

Excellent letter from early-war 90-day enlistee. In protective sleeve. Invites further research.  [jp]

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