.MzkxNg.NjM3MQ
[First Letter]
[Pg1]
Camp near Falmouth Feb 6th 1863
Der Father
I have bin looking for a letter for some time and have not recieved aney it has bin so long since I recieved a letter that I hardley know weather I could read aney other persons writeing or not, I have not got vary good paper to write uppon but it is all that I got and you must excuse me for not writeing on beetter paper if you want me to write more you
[Pg2]
must send me some paper and envelopes for I cant get aney out here without money, I have a little piece of buisness to do and I want you to help me if you will, I will tell you what it is I want to get a Commision in the regular armey and for you to help me you will have to write to John. T. Nixon at Washington and tell him that if he will try for me I will get all the recomendation
d
that [be?][crossed out] will be requira and if he will get me one I will pay him well for it, I will tell you what I want a Second
[Pg3]
Leiutcy in Co (B) 2nd U.S. Cavlry and if he cannot obtain one for this companey I would like to get one in the 7th Regt of Cavly wich is a new Regt tell him that if he can obtain one for
ce
me it makes no differan what Regmt it is in, I will have to send this letter without aney stamp it is the first that I have sent without a stamp for some time wee have a plenty of mud down here for it rains nearly evry other day and keeps it vary bad under foot, wee are Provost Guar yet and I expect that wee will remain so while
[Pg4]
wee are in the armey of the Potomac, if you will send me some paper and envelopes with a few stamps I will write often I am just agoing to go up to the express office to see if there is aney box there for me I expect that you have sent it by this time, I will close by sending my love to Mother, Edd, Call, and all of the Cobb family yourself included, wee have not got aney pay yet and dont know when wee will get aney, there is 103$ due me now and I dont know how much more ther will bee due me before wee get paid off nomore at presant from your most obdt son Wm. T. Cobb
[Second Letter]
[Pg1]
Hampton Roads March 1 [5?][written over] 4 1863
Dear Father;
As I have nothing else too do at present, I thought I would just scratch a few lines to you: so here goes. We have been here a week last night and have recieved no orders as yet; [h][written over] [nor?] cant tell when we will, we have got plenty of companey; the Lucy L. Mary Shropshire, J.C.Patterson, J Ireland, White Squall, Elliot, B E Sharp; L, Grey (the for last mentioned are light, bound N:) the Abby Haley was, here, but has gone around too Yorktown, Jo Marts is up to Norfolk, so you see we’ve got nearly all of Maruice River here; we are all well, I
[I?]
believe; I did not get time to write when as was in town last, or I should have wrote too from there.
I heard that you nom-enated me as Sec: of the Lodge; if you are a mind too act in my place untill I come home, all right; dont let me get be[h][overwritten]ehind in the Lodge; If Call dont have the money or you dont have it too spare; [y][overwritten]let me know, and I,ll get it from some where. I would like too hear from Will, and know something of his whereabouts; Call dont seem to know anything of him; and if you do I would like you too write and let me know.
I have got a Barometer, and am keeping a Meteorological Journal; I want 2 thermometers, and would have had them; but I did not get time too leave the Vessel half an hour; when we was in town; I traded my rifle and give 4 dollers too boot; for the Barometer, which at the Present time would cost 18 or 20 dollars; so Ive made about 10 dollars by the operateing I,ll bet I am not trapped any more like I was in the old Eagle, for there [arnt?] any winds of any strength yet too us without knowing it in time to prepare for it; I cant think of anything else too write so I guess I,ll stop, I stopped in too aunt amandas, Masons, when we was in the City, [?] I believe they are all well . Give my love to Mother, and all the young,uns and keep a share for yourself, from you Affectionate Son Proffessor Cobb L.L.D.
P.S. Write soon as you get this: direct to Old Point comfort Va on board Schr Elasie Neal.
[N.B.?] Mean Pressure of Barometer for 24 days 30.27 Inches [Min]emum pressure, under, a heavy S.W. ale at Beaufort, 29.84 Inches, [Ma]ximim pressure under a Norther, 30.76 Inches, at Beaufort. N.C. Baromenter always gives up for a N.E., and down for S.W. winds, on our [..t?]
[Pg2]
Always expecting: our N.E. storms (ar revolving gales, properly speaking)
when
the first part of which the Barometer falls: and under the centre of the storm, it begins rising again; it is curious as well as interesting; too note the changes of one of those Instruments, and watch the weather closely; It is something that would just suit you; I expect too have a weather gauage and rain gague; and pussle your brains over your obsorvations. We ahve got the wind N.E. here now and storming, the Barometer Indicated it 9 hours before it come, she is still going down so we have not got the heft of the Gale yet. I guess I will stop writing too night; this Post Scrip; happened too come in my head, while I was writing up my log and jounal and I thought, I would explain the uses and benefits of these Instruments Proff. Cobb LLD. Big Name that
[Third Letter]
[Pg1]
Camp of 2nd U.S. Cavly March 15th 1863
Der Father
I recieved your two last letters, the ones that spoke about Nixons letter to you but they come too late for me to do aney thing and so I will drop it for this time but will try some other time. I recieved the money you sent me and was glad to have it but I can not get aney post stamps out here and wee have to pay such prises out here that a little money
[Pg2]
does not go vary far I dont know how long befor wee will bee paid off but I hope it will bee pretty soon, my bed fellow got a box a day ar two a go and the things in it is vary good I will tell you what he has got, Six Cans of Roast Turkey, Six Cans of Roast Chicken, Six Cans of Butter 2 Cans of Fresh Apples 3 Cans of Cranberry Jam and several other cans with differant kinds of Fruit in them, and the best of it is that I have the privilage of eating as much as I want he wrote for his box the same tine that I wrot[e] for mine but he got his
[Pg3]
and I did not and now I would like for you to send me a box with some of the same kind of articles as I have mentioned befor you can by sending to Philadelph[ia] obtain aney thing you want if you send [for][crossed out] aney box dont send aney thing that will spoil I want to buy this box myself and if you will buy the things and send them to me I will pay you whe[n] I get paid off, I dont want you to pay as much as a box will cost out of your own pocket for me but I will send you the money assoon as wee get paid; I would like [?][crossed out] for you to send it
[Pg4]
as soon as you can for there is so maney that has go boxes since I sent for mine that I thought that I would try for another myself, wee expect to be paid in a few days and I hope so, wee have just come off of a scout wee went out about twaninty Five miles beyound our pickets to see whare the Johneys was wee found them but it was night only that wee would go near there lines wee went in side of there lines night befor last and wee looked around
ied
four or five hours and Satisf ourselves about them and then wee started back wee was out two days and nights it was a lively but a vary
[Pg5]
hard trip wee had to bee vary car full how wee went for wee was the only [regtiment?] of Union troops that there was out there and wee a bout twainty fife miles in the Enimeys land, wee have quite a considerable of duty to do and I dont get much time to write wee have to go out on picket evry Eight days and stay three days when wee go out and so you can juge a bout what time I have you must not waite for me to answer your letters but you must write pretty often and I will answer them when i get the chaunce when you write to me
[Pg6]
again let me know how Ed is a geting a long and all of the news around home for I want to know, I was over to see our boys the other day and found them in good spirits. give my love to Mother and all of the family and tell them that I cannot get aney furlow but I will come home sometime, I will now [?] by sending my love to all in quireing friends, the Collines family, Wills fam[ily] and above all the Cobb fanily your self in Cluded Nomor at presant from YOur most Obd son William.T.Cobb
[Fourth Letter]
[Stamped envelope]
[postmark] Washington D.C. Mar 30 1863
Samuel Cobb Esq
Mauricetown
Cumberland Co
N.J.
[Letter Pg1]
Camp of 2nd U.S. Cavly March 27th 1863
Dear Father
I recieved yours of the 17th inst and was vary glad to here from home again, you said that you guessed that I had for gotten home but you are mistaken there for although I am in the armey I think of home evry hour in the day and it is my last thought at night you think that I have for gotten hom[e] but it is not so I would like to bee at home once more to stay but not to
[Pg2
stay untill the war is over for there is use for me out here at presant and it requires the help of evry true American Citison that you know as well as I can tell you, I wrote a letter to you on the 16th of this month when you wrote your letter I do not expect that you had recieved my letter but I expect that you have recieved it by this time at least I hope so you mentioned in your letter that you had sent me a box but by the time it gets here it will be worth vary little but that
[Pg3]
matters little to me so I get the box for the tobacco will not be spoiled and that is the main point with me at presant for I smoke a grate deal and it is a grate comfert for me to set down and have a good smoke, you wished to know why I did not write more I will tell you wee have so much duty to do that I have little chance to write or do aney thing else you wished to know if I would let you have som money you know I would if I get it but I have got to get it first
[Pg4]
when I get it you can have it with the gratest of plasure but I have a question for you could you let me have a litle money to get some small articles with such as paper envelopes penns ink and a few other articles with, I cannot tell you when I will get paid but I hope it will bee soon I have nine months pay due me now and expect to have tenn monthes due me befor I get aney money, I have = =ant much time to write when you write to Ed give him a Brothers respects wich is of the best kind I have
[Pg5]
not much more to say but you wished to know if I knew
nts
aney thing of our mooveme I am not able to give you aney information as regards to is but wee expect to moove soon, I will close by [Sendiding?][written over] sending my love to Mother, Call, and all of the Cobb family and all in quireing friends your share in- -cluded, I am in better helth than I have bin in for a long time nomor at presant write soon and often from your most Obdt son Wm. T. Cobb
[Pg6]
write when ever you feel like it and I will answer [whever?] I have tm
[Fifth Letter]
[Pg1]
Camp near Qcquia Creek Va April 29h 1863
Dear Father
I recieved yours of the 7th inst and was vary glad to here from home once more I would have written befor but wee have bin so buisey that I have not had time to write wee have bin out on a Reconnisance and wee had a prtty hard time of it, there was some few of us sent back to Acquia Creek to do guard duty and it fell to my lot to bee one of the party that come back and I am not sorry for it, there is a grate Cannonading a going on up in front to day I expect that there is a battle in vogue by the noise that they mak, I recieved the money that you sent me and I am vary much obliged to you for it for it done me some good I bought bread with it and eat it up on the march wich done me quite a good deal of good, it is hardly worth while for me to tell you aney about
[Pg2]
our scout for you will see an ac[c][crossed out]ount of it in the Papers, but I will give you a slight idah of it, one night for inst. encamped in a woods after dark and fed our horses got some coffee and wee would have sleped some but the rain come down in such torrants that wee could not lay down so wee had to eathe sit or stand untill about 12 O ck when our squadren was ordered to mount wee did it wee started for Reeleys Ford wee went through Old Roads, through swamps and mos all other impasable places, you may guess how nice it was with the wet brush a strikeing us in the face and Eyes well wee rode in this manner untill daylight when wee come to the River wee struck our course up streem wee had not proseedded far when wee had a salute from the opposite side of the River wich made us get out of that in quite a hurry, this is a sample of our scout, I will have to close pretty soon, I recieved my box the other day I went to the 24th N.J.V. and Zeak told me that there was a box in there comisary with my name on it I went to see and found it there but there was nothing good in it but it is [anything?] to me how it should get in the 24th N.J. volls and directed to the 2nd U.S. Cavly, you must excuse my bad writin for my paper is wet and I have a vary poor penn
[Pg3]
wich makes vary bad writeing but I hope that you can make it out, I want to goo up to the Front this afternoon to see what is a going on for if there is aney fighting a going on I want to have a hand in it and I think that I will go up on the cars this afternoon. I will close by sending my love to mother and all of the children and also to Ed and Call and to all inquiring friends, tell mother that I am as fat as a pig and as harty as a buck it is pretty hard for me to get enough to eat now, but if wee ever get paid off I will get filled up for once I think, Nomore at presant write when ever you feel like it and never mind my answering them for I will write when ever I have time and materials to write with, from your Most Obeidant Son William. T. Cobb
[Poem]
ONE I LEFT THERE Air – Annie Laurie.
Soft blows the breath of morning
In my own valley fair,
For it’s there the opening roses
With fragrance scent the air; With fragrance scent the air,
And with perfume fill the lea-
But the breath of one I left there
Is sweeter far to me.
Soft fall the dews of evening
Around our valley bowers,
And they glisten on the grass-plots,
And tremble on the flowers; And tremble on the flowers,
Like jewels rich to see;
But the tears of one I left there
Are richer gems to me.
Sweet are the notes of song-birds
Within our pleasant dell;
At evening and at morning
With tenderness they swell; With tenderness they swell,
and love so full and free;
But the voice of one I left there
Is sweeter song for me.
