Part 12 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
Camp Tom Casey, Chantilly, Apr. 11, 63
[Unknown Recipient] Dear Aunt, I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know that I am well I got your kind letter some time ago and very glad to hear from you. I am well as usual all except a Diarhea. I do not know hardly what to write - we have not had a chance to stay and some good houses covered with a cloth tent and agood Fire Place one of our own Construction it is not so good as we had at Camp Tom Casey the weather is fine and the ground is dry as in the summer time in fact it is most summer[.] last week we had a gay old Snow Storm about 14 inches it made us think of Maine I tell you[.] I have been on Review this forenoon and mustered in from 4 Months pay, and I hope it will come pretty soon. Although we [aren't] in a great hurry for it we have been building a fence round our encampment to prevent an attack or Cavalry raid we are right in the middle of the Rebs or Bush Whackers, there is no force to ammount to anything round here nothing but a few Gurillers and scouting Parties our Cavallry brought in about 700 of old Nosbys Crew last night and some Citizens from Middleburg I cannot think of much that will interest [you] I have been looking for a letter for some time but hant got anny i dont know but they are all sick or but what they have forgot me. Curtis Chute has lost his discharge and i guess he will not be able to get home if he hadnt been a Da---d fool he would go home with his Father but he wanted to get his pay and therefor he has got to stay in Uncle Sam's service a while longer have got to turn out and round the Pickets so i shall have to dry up so good by write soon
From A. Scribner Co. C, 25th Direct to Washington DC 25th Me Co. C
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 11).