.MzUyMw.NTA2NA
Harrison Landing Va july 21st 62
Dear Brother
I am now ready to tell you my wants and they are so many I am afraid I shall have room to write but little else. I will say in the first place that I am feeling firstrate this morning. The weather has been a little cooler since I last wrote you and this morning in one of the finest. I begin to feel that I am haveing too easy a time in this more pleasant grove though it was not quite so pleasant when we first came in to it but many hands make light work and now it is very much improved. It seems to be the opinion of the folks here that we shall not have much of anything to do again before the last of August thoug some of our wise ones here have come to the conclusion that doubtfull things are very uncertain but never the less Luke and I have held a council this morning and conclude that it will do to venture the Box. I will now give you a memoranda of the articles which I want and the one which Luke is is writing to his folks this morning is like it in the mane
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1 Doz Lemons 2 lbs indian meal 1 “ Oranges a few Rolls Lozenges (cheek [& sass?]) 1 drum Figs, 5 lbs, 2 [...tmeys?] 4 lbs cheese 3 lbs Dates Pickles 1 lb Raisons 1 Pr suspenders 3 lbs Dried Apples Tooth Brush & Soap Box of Mustured and Black Peper Paper & Envelopes Molasses Sugar a few lbs 1 lb Navy Tobacco Salt Fish Fine comb (not very fine) 1 Cotton Handkerchief
Now there may be some things which I have named in my list which it may be very inconvenient for you to get. If so leave[underlined] them[underlined] out[underlined] as I donot expect you to be govenerd altogether by my list. I had much rather you would use your own judgement both in regard to the things which you will send and the quanitity. I think Oranges and Lemons will be hard to get and Molasses Sugar also. If so send a few lbs of white instead. The fish I would trim so as to send the best. If you have room for a few potatoes I will have one [?] Dinner. Send a little Bag of meal and what a graious [Johnny?] I will have. I want a tin
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Plate to Bake it in. Tell Mr. Repley you want a French Tin Plate that will hold
and
about a quart ^ I think you will get one that will stand fire and I want a small Tin Pail (double tin) that will hold a small quart. The plate or pan will not be soddered but pressed into the form. The tin about 1 ½ inches deep perhaps 2 inches but not very large round. I am afraid I shall perplex you a greatdeal. Perhaps you will not know how to send pickels if you have them, then don bother with them. I want mother to send me a few ginger snaps. I think the Box will be from 4 to 6 days coming to me so I dont think it will be safe to send any cooked vituals. I dont think of anything more that I want. I have got a good supply of clothing 3 shirts 2 white ones 2 prs drawers & pr stockings. If I have more it would be too much left to carry in my knapsack. The Needles and thread which you sent me will last me 6 months. A qure of Paper
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will be sufficient and ½ doz Envelopes for I like the way you send them in your letters best. A few Pens. I dont want any medicine of any kind. I dont know how soon I may need some but I have taken so little since I left home and feel so well now that I dont think it will be worth while to send any one thing more. The Bigest Red [Astri..an?] you can find if they are any were near grown. Landing Va
Direct to Westover ^ Adams
Express
Couches Div 7 Mass Vols Co K
[Written upside down] [John Bouldra arrived here yesterday morning]
Landing
Westover ^ is on james River Adams Express have opened an office there within a few weeks. I want you to send me a Bill of every article. Tell Whitmarsh or Whoever you send to Adams express by to take a Receipt from adams ex
you
and ^ send it to me immediately. I think my Bill will ammount to $5.84 say nothing of the Express
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62
Harrison Landing July 26th
Dear Brother
I Recd your letter yesterday morning and one from Edwin. I am sorry you have the
tooth ache for more than one reason. It is hard to bear if not dangerous. I think you had better have it [?]. I like long letters. My Ink is nearly out and pens rather poor so I conclude to write this time with my Pencil. This is a letter sheet that Mother sent me a month ago or more when I was at Seven Pines. I have just returned from a Pond about ¾ of a mile from our camp where I had a good wash. It is the first time I have been there [?] [?] Cole and I went
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together. I was happily disappointed in findind so large and nice a pond. It is the first I have seen that deserved the name since I left home. It was an excellent place to try my swiming pouers again but I met with no better success. I Recd the 2 Trumpets last Wednesday morning. They were very interesting. I like Thayers Reasoning on the justice of God. What it demands It is the best I have ever seen on that subject. I dont think of anything new to write. We are [liveing?] for the present a very quiet and easy life. We have left war out or our camp. We dont know how soon we may have to go out and face the enimy again. I [?] no trouble on that account. Strength
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has been given me thus far to do my duty. I believe and I trust the same help will continue with me to the end. I have just eaten my dinner. We had stued Beans. We have had Baked Beans twice since we have been here and they were very good. I have a good appetite though not quite so craveing as it was a while ago when the weather was cooler and we had more work to do. We are [haveing?] very fine weather now though I find it pretty warm when I go out into the open field. It is very pleasant in our camp. Sunshine and Shade about equal. I should have written to you yesterday but I was detailed fo[crossed out] for
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fatique duty. It was very light work but we were employed most of the day Cleaning up. Leaves and Brush about the Cols quarters before going to work in the [?]. I had my Hair cut and my whiskers trimed very close allover my face. Many in our company didnot know me at first sight. Noah Harding was my Barber. He is very particular about his work. I recolect Mother said when she saw him at T what a pretty your man. He is that. I was not acquanted with him then but I know him now as one of the pleasantest
ht
fellows in the company. I thoug when I begun that I wouldnot think of enough to fill this sheet but it is full now and
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I have a few more words to write. I am afraid the Box which I sent home for is agoing to make you a great deal of trouble. I snet for a large quantity of Figs [..by?] thinking that plenty of them could be Bought for 15 or 20 cts pr lb. But I hear now that they are very [scarse?] in [town?] and are worth 20 to 30 cts. What I am writeing now will do no good with respect to sending the Box for I suppose it will be started before you git this but I want to tell you as soon as possible that I shall not be disappointed when I open the Box if there is not [1/2?] in it which I wrote for. I think it will take longer
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than the time I set to come through. I set it 10 days now at least. They come to fortress Monroe very quick but are a long while on the James River. Some of our Boys will have Boxes today if 10 days is enough to Bring them through the teames have not got back from the land[crossed out] Landing yet so I think I shall not be able to tell you the result as I shall have to Mail my letter soon. Luke is well I [cant?] much but his bare feet from my tent but I think he is takeing his share of comfort I must close now My health is very good Yours Truely Rufus
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Harrison Landing Va july 28th 62
Dear Brother
I have just finished reading yours and Fathers letter which I Recd by this mornings mail a little after 7 oclock. I have not written to you so often of late as I used to for the reason that the weather has been very warm and I have not felt quite well all the time. I havent been sick but my appetite left me for a few days and I felt but little energy to do anything. Luke wrote home yesterday But I concluded to wate until this morning that I might tell you that I had Recd your letter. Luke is well this morning. My health is good now as ever and yesterday noon I found my appetite had fully returned. We had Fried Stake for Dinner and in addition to that I had a few cookies and a pice of cheese and that was not all. I had a little sauce which I made of green pears and grapes which I found the day before when I was on picket. It was very good. I think Mother would have said so if she could have seen it. The Pears were rather small but I pealed and cut them. Put the grapes in with them and boild in a small quantity of water and
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plenty of sugar. My Money is almost gone but I think we shall be paid off again before many days. I have been thinking for the last few days of sending to you for a Box. I have not fully determined to do so yet. Some of our company have sent and I am wateing to see what success they have in getting them through. I think there is a prospect of our staying here another Month and if so there will be time enough to do it. I have mentioned it to Luke and he is anxious to send with me as soon as we can feel satisfied that we can do so with safty. I will give you a list of prices of some things here sold by suttlers. Cheese 50 cts pr lb Butter 75 cts Raisons 50 cts cookies from 2 to 3 cts apiece Figs 2 cts apiece oranges and lemons from 12 to 20 cts a piece and everything else in propotion. I think if I could invest my six dollars at home it would cover all the expense of transportation and save me nearly 50 pr cent. I shall make up my mind as quickly as posible and if I conclude to send give you all the information I can [?] to direct. I will tell you more of some things that I should like to have. Oranges. Lemons. Figs. Raisons. Dried Apples Molasses Sugar if it
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could be sent in a tight can and some of Mothers ginger snaps. I cannot think of anything else that Mother would cook that would keep until it reached me. This is only a part but I will make all my wants known if I conclude to send. I have Recd the paper containing the 2 postage stamps and one later with the Needles and Thread. I shall look for another Paper tomorrow morning I donot think of any news to write so I will say a few words about
lain
the house we live in. Frank & Isaac Chamber continue to be my companions in the House. We have got the best one I think in our company though others have coppied our style. In the first place we raise a platform about 2 ft from the ground about 7 ft square. Four crocked sticks for the frame to rest upon and for the floor we use Red Ceder which splits very straight and even. Then a [...ched?] stake at each end for the Ridge pole to rest upon and it is ready to cover with our Tent Blankets. The floor we cover with ceder Boughs to make it lay soft and cover them with a Rubber Blanket. We find it
ly
very good to be up from the ground especia when it rains. We have had several pretty sever tempests since we have been here. I think some of them rather beat anything
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I ever saw at home. We have plenty of water now in camp but it is not firstrate. There was a while that it was difficult to get enough clean water even to wash my face in without going to the spring and taking it home in a kanteen. I am very particular about my person. I have done a great deal of washing since I have been in the army. I have time enough now to wash my clothes and body as often as I like. I have just put on a new pr of trousers which I drew today. This makes the 3d pr since I left home. My bill for clothing lst year was $28.58. I was entitled to 45.98. I dont think of anything more to write of things here. I am glad to hear that things are looking so well at home. I think it will be a good plan to brake up that piece this fall. I suppose it will pay better than to let it remain in such poor condition. I will say to Father that I am glad he mentioned the chickens. There is nothing at home that I donot feel interested to know about. I expected to see a few words from Mother this time and I was not disappointed. I think I will write you again soon.
Yours Truly Rufus
