02. Harry's Letters, 1864

2nd Division [Letterhead:] HEAD-QUARTERS 2nd Division NINTH ARMY CORPS, Lyons Mills Tenn Jan'y 29th 1864

Dear Nellie: This is a strange time and year to answer your blessed letter of July 21st 1863. But my reasons for so great delay are as plenty as blackberries. The first one is, I only got your letter yesterday -- a long, lone wanderer -- that epistle. And out of the multitude of my reasons for negligence, this perhaps is my best one. On my word, I thought you had dropped me altogether; and the promptness with which I respond after receiving your kind greetings should tell you how relieved and delighted I am to know that even so far back as last

July you still held me in remembrance. The picture which you so kindly sent is a good specimen of the photographic art -- but looks searchingly at me. I have put it in the back part of my album and look at is cautiously and at intervals, as I would try and court its acquaintance. It does you injustice Nellie, but is "all the world to me" as a reminder of her whom I love best and of the sweet days of lang syne.

I should have gone to Portland to see you when on sick leave -- but I was too ill and crabbed to be pleasant company, and moreover, my emaciated personal appearance was such as to have found ill favor in your sight -- Like

wise I had business in New York &c &c.

After many wanderings to and fro and much hard travel and some occasional hardships, over the icy mountains and thro worlds of mud I am at last quietly camped here at Hd Qrs of my old Division.

Of course you remember that at the battle of Bull Run, Col Michael Corcoran and Col Wilcox were taken prisoners and taken to Richmond. Well whether you do or not, such is the fact; and my present General is the identical Wilcox alluded to. He and Corcoran were released together and were commissioned Brig Gens at the same time.

Sorry to hear that Brother Wash was wounded at

Gettysburg -- glad it wasn't his big sister.

Mother writes me that Walter Newhall, one of Janes sons, was drowned in the Rappahannock. Sad blow to that happy family, and a bitter fate for the poor boy who was just on his way to join his parents.

Nellie, the birds are singing from the trees near my tent this morning and the sunny air is as balmy and sweet as May days in Maine.

This must have been a delightful country in times of peace and plenty -- but to speak in the manner of the Bard "Grim visaged war has knocked it into a cocked hat." "or words to that effect." Our soldiers have suffered much during the past cold weather from insufficient and worn-out clothing and from hunger &c. I, even I, have felt the pangs of unsatisfied appetite -- and have thus been brought to a retrospective glance at a neat Breakfast table

[in the margin] Capt. Harry

[Letterhead] HEAD-QUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, .....186

down in somebody's cellar kitchen and that "somebody" -- the dearest creature of her sex -- pouring out hot coffee and circulating nice griddle cakes and asking me with her sweet mouth full of bread and butter to help myself to eggs; -- to say nothing of a little smut on her angelic face and an occasional dough-mark on her lovely elbow. No joking, I remember as one of the prettiest domestic scenes that I ever witnessed, your little family gathering, the morning I breakfasted with you, and I said to myself then, and have said to the same