Homer Curtiss, 2nd C.H.A., June 24, 1865

Homer Curtiss, 2nd C.H.A., June 24, 1865

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

United States. Army. Connecticut Artillery Regiment, 2nd (1863-1865)

Soldiers--Books and reading

Homer writes to his sister of visits with friends and family, impatience in the camp over demobilization, and what he is reading.

1865-06-24

Ordnance Office
HeadQr 3rd Brig Hardin + Div.
Fort Baker D.C. June 24 1865

Dear Toot:
You go into a labored
argument to prove the total ineligibility
of a certain nameless “source of local comfort”
and close it by gravely announcing that
spite of “sanguine temperament” and every
other unredeemable characteristic feature
“I shall not object if you wish to include
her” That is pretty encouraging to be sure.
You are a pretty nice woman are you not?
I like your style its about Hyper___
Silia back in town that begins
to seem like times of yon - Agnes + Silia
with you and Mary. Flora Eunice daily
expected Miss Henrietta is not coming I
presume. Even you have given up that also
is tangible at last as I did years ago.

[page 2]
Fort Wagner the post of Co. “H” is close by Hdqs
and I see the boys daily. They are pretty irate
over our detention here and Miner uses
his lungs and tongue freely on the subject
as is his want.
There are some incidents connected with
my recent visit in New York which I do
not care to commit to paper but which
besides amusing you might serve to explain
some of my serving inconsistencies and
neglects. I shall be pleased to give you
an unabridged edition of the whole story
verbally but I haven’t the time for professing
now if I had the disposition. So you must
continue to believe that the future proprietress
of the ancestral mansion of the
family has been neglected by a young
rattle headed cousin from the army for
a less worthy though well enough sort of a
body from the same old family. Amen
Did’nt my report contain anything concerning
The Orpha – it should for I drank a deal of
strawberry lemonade with her it was sweet

[page 3]
Your next thrust is a home one but it
serves one right. I am ashamed to think
that I am not a gentleman. What you
said about Mrs. Reynolds versus Flora or
Eunice is true and pity tis tis true. I
intend to cultivate my say on that point
and hope in time to arrive at a point
where I can treat all ladies + gentlemen
alike whether they are friends or no friends
but up to this time it has required more
dissimilation than I have been able to
acquire. I will require only 2 or 3 gentle
reminders like that last of yours to do
the work for me. These reminders acting
as daily monitors you see keeping the
subject always before me.
Aunt Phebe is a saint and if she
cannot like all her relatives how am I a
sinner expected to? but no that is not
it I must treat every body the same as
though I did love them. All right I’ll
try. Watch and see if there is not an
improvement in that respect when you see me next.

[page 4]
Little as you seemed to expect it
your letter came through to me very direct
but to give you a little more terse address
I enclose a card on which is all
that is really requisite for an envelope
besides the stamp and your Private No.
I am reading Warren “Ten Thousand
A Year” which seems to be interesting as
far as I have been in it I read the
July “Atlantic” and “Our Little Folks” and
am also rereading Enoch Arden. I bought
Cozzen’s “Sparrowgrass Papers” yesterday and
shall read them up soon. I have a nice
room and desk all by myself here and
it seems as though I might enjoy myself
until September pretty nice if I do not get
this malarious fever on me that and
the ague are very bad about Wm +Alex.
and probably we shall not altogether escape
their net. I hope we may until our time
is out. Hoping to hear from you soon
I am as ever your respectful brother
Gub

ALS