Part 5 of 25 in Civil War Letters of Algernon H. Scribner. The date below is the letter’s historical date; the article retains the collection’s publication date.
Letter transcription
Washington Dec 1st 1862 Dear Father,
I got the box you sent to me this forenoon rather unexpected but however verry welcome but i did not dare to eat much but i have got partly well broke in. i happen to have some friends in Raymond that sent me some Bully cake and have got some of others there has been 2-Four Horse teams going to Washington since about a week before thanksgiving for this Regt we have got into our barracks last night and laid tip top i dont have a verry good chance as you see by my writing i am sitting down by the fire my paper on a drum head there is no news by rummors anny quantity of rumors we got news of the bombardment of Fort Darling near Richmond we can't get as much news here as you can at home know snow here we do not get anny Potatoes i have washed three times since I came from Portland and made out well we have Meetings Every Sunday and prayer meetings a most every evening our little drummer boys and i played the Drum and Fife for to bury some of our Regt 2 or three days ago one of them was from Casco about 11 each day dies and a great manny are sick in the Hospital then from our Company. Simon Winslow and Robinson Edward[s] are in the Hospital i suppose you have Wood enough to keep warm this winter i will get clear of those North East storms this winter tell Annah to take good care of the cow it will be tough this winter to go to water i liked not to have got hold of your letter i looked it all over and could not find anny thing in the shape of a letter but I opened it to get hold of it[.] it is most time for tatto and i must leave off good Eve
Your only son A.H. Scribner, Washington DC
Source
Transcribed by Jean F. Hankins in 2011 for the Otisfield Historical Society, with permission of owner Hal Ferguson of Otisfield. Original spelling, uncertain readings, and editorial notes are retained.
Read the original transcription (PDF, starting on page 5).