Letter is four pages and is written in legible ink. The masthead of the paper is a woodcut of the US Capitol done in blue ink. Letter is dated February 22, 1863.

The author, Private John Cook of Company I, 138^th Pennsylvania Infantry, is writing to a friend back home. After the usual opening discussing the weather Cook says;

“I SAW IN THE PAPERS LAS WEEK THAT THERE IS TO BE AN OTHER DRAFT SOON THAT EVRY MAN WILL HAVE TO GO IT WILL BE A GAY TIME FOR SOME OF THE EXEMPTS AND THEM THAT GOT SUBSTITUTES FOR THEY WILL HAVE TO GO TO. LOOK OUT FOR A BIG BATTLE SOON FOR THE NINE MONTHS AN THREE YEARS MEN TIME WILL BE UP SOON AND BEFORE THAT THEIR MUST BE SOMETHING DONE OR NEVER.”

He then goes on to talk about a soldier in his regiment that got hold of some “licker” and drank himself into a stupor, wandered off and died.

John Cook was from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He enlisted as a Private on August 26, 1862. He was wounded on November 27, 1863 at Mine Run, Va. He was promoted Corporal on April 4, 1865 and was mustered out on June 23, 1865.   [ad]

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