Difference between revisions of ".MTgxMQ.MzA3NA"
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+ | |||
+ | Rikers Island N.Y. | ||
+ | Dec 26th/63 | ||
+ | |||
+ | Dear Sister, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Contrary to my expectations | ||
+ | I still "Hold forth" in this detestable rat hole | ||
+ | of an Island. I would have informed you of | ||
+ | my disappointment in not being able to get | ||
+ | away from here before, But I have been to busy | ||
+ | to write letters. Since I sent my last to you | ||
+ | I have been put in Charge of one of the Company | ||
+ | Streets in the Rendezvous. And they keep me | ||
+ | writing all day and sometimes all night. | ||
+ | One day I may have 300 men in the Company | ||
+ | and another 75. As fast as they go or come I | ||
+ | have to make out Receipts and Transfers for | ||
+ | every man. So you may know that I have | ||
+ | little Chance to write letters, no matter how | ||
+ | much I wish to. Last night I did not have | ||
+ | much to do. And I set down to write a few | ||
+ | words to you and Hannah. I had just | ||
+ | finished Hannah's, when in come an Orderly | ||
+ | from Head Quarters. Sergt of "G" will report | ||
+ | to the Adjutants office without delay, And away | ||
+ | I had to Skedaddle. I got a job that lasted | ||
+ | me till One Oclock in the morning. I did not | ||
+ | feel much like writing then, So I postponed | ||
+ | your letter till to night. And now | ||
+ | I want to ask you how you spent your | ||
+ | Christmas. You must let me know all | ||
+ | about it. If you dont I shall tell a certain | ||
+ | Young Chap how many times you let the | ||
+ | Brooklyn boys kiss you. I had an awful | ||
+ | Christmas. In the first place I had no breakfast | ||
+ | to begin with. For dinner I had mackeral | ||
+ | that was so salt, that when I put a piece in | ||
+ | my mouth I imagined they was some | ||
+ | relation of "Lots" Wife, And potatoes that they | ||
+ | had merely thrown hot water at. For supper | ||
+ | "Let me see" I never had any if I did I have | ||
+ | forgot it. This morning I had to buy my | ||
+ | breakfast, As the Cooks had no Coffee. Take | ||
+ | Coffee away from a soldier in the morning | ||
+ | and he is dead all day. I went to the officers | ||
+ | Mess, and got a pretty good breakfast. "Oh" | ||
+ | this is a nice place, plenty of rats, To make | ||
+ | music on the ear, In the lonely midnight hour | ||
+ | with their infernal squealing & knawing. Why | ||
+ | we have to take our boots to bed with us | ||
+ | and sleep in dread of being carried off bodily | ||
+ | boots and all then. A great many of the recruits | ||
+ | that comes here with 3 or 500 dollars in their | ||
+ | pockets gets robbed they say their pockets are | ||
+ | picked. But its my opinion that the Rats | ||
+ | Cart it off, they are big enough. | ||
+ | I know I shall consider myself lucky | ||
+ | if I dont wake up some of these fine | ||
+ | mornings and find myself snugly stowed | ||
+ | away in some rat hole. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | I expect Farther and Mary up on the | ||
+ | Island to see me tomorrow. I sent a pass | ||
+ | down to them some days ago. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | I expect to leave here the 2nd of January. | ||
+ | I got my orders to day so you must hurry | ||
+ | up and write. How is your friend Miss | ||
+ | Weeks, does she need a love letter yet. | ||
+ | I must bid you good bye, The drums are | ||
+ | beating off "tatoo" and I have to Call the | ||
+ | Roll. Give my love to Uncle & Aunt | ||
+ | and all enquireing friends. | ||
+ | |||
+ | I remain Your Affectionate Brother | ||
+ | |||
+ | {Direct} Andrew J Weeks | ||
+ | |||
+ | 1st Sergt "G" Co. | ||
+ | 3rd Battalion | ||
+ | Rikers Island | ||
+ | N.Y.H. |
Revision as of 14:55, 9 October 2012
This item is currently being transcribed by a volunteer. We look forward to making the full-text of the document available soon.
Rikers Island N.Y. Dec 26th/63
Dear Sister,
Contrary to my expectations I still "Hold forth" in this detestable rat hole of an Island. I would have informed you of my disappointment in not being able to get away from here before, But I have been to busy to write letters. Since I sent my last to you I have been put in Charge of one of the Company Streets in the Rendezvous. And they keep me writing all day and sometimes all night. One day I may have 300 men in the Company and another 75. As fast as they go or come I have to make out Receipts and Transfers for every man. So you may know that I have little Chance to write letters, no matter how much I wish to. Last night I did not have much to do. And I set down to write a few words to you and Hannah. I had just finished Hannah's, when in come an Orderly from Head Quarters. Sergt of "G" will report to the Adjutants office without delay, And away I had to Skedaddle. I got a job that lasted me till One Oclock in the morning. I did not feel much like writing then, So I postponed your letter till to night. And now I want to ask you how you spent your Christmas. You must let me know all about it. If you dont I shall tell a certain Young Chap how many times you let the Brooklyn boys kiss you. I had an awful Christmas. In the first place I had no breakfast to begin with. For dinner I had mackeral that was so salt, that when I put a piece in my mouth I imagined they was some relation of "Lots" Wife, And potatoes that they had merely thrown hot water at. For supper "Let me see" I never had any if I did I have forgot it. This morning I had to buy my breakfast, As the Cooks had no Coffee. Take Coffee away from a soldier in the morning and he is dead all day. I went to the officers Mess, and got a pretty good breakfast. "Oh" this is a nice place, plenty of rats, To make music on the ear, In the lonely midnight hour with their infernal squealing & knawing. Why we have to take our boots to bed with us and sleep in dread of being carried off bodily boots and all then. A great many of the recruits that comes here with 3 or 500 dollars in their pockets gets robbed they say their pockets are picked. But its my opinion that the Rats Cart it off, they are big enough. I know I shall consider myself lucky if I dont wake up some of these fine mornings and find myself snugly stowed away in some rat hole.
I expect Farther and Mary up on the
Island to see me tomorrow. I sent a pass
down to them some days ago.
I expect to leave here the 2nd of January.
I got my orders to day so you must hurry
up and write. How is your friend Miss
Weeks, does she need a love letter yet.
I must bid you good bye, The drums are
beating off "tatoo" and I have to Call the
Roll. Give my love to Uncle & Aunt
and all enquireing friends.
I remain Your Affectionate Brother
{Direct} Andrew J Weeks
1st Sergt "G" Co. 3rd Battalion Rikers Island N.Y.H.