William Digby Smith, 14th C.V.I., November 28, 1862

William Digby Smith, 14th C.V.I., November 28, 1862

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

United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 14th (1862-1865)

United States. Army--Pay, allowances, etc.

Operations rations (Military supplies)

William Smith writes to his wife about his current situation, the prospects for an early end to the war, frustration with Confederate tactics, and the loss of all of the regiment's possessions.

1862-11-28

Bell Plain November 28^th 1862
My Dear wife I received your letter on they 27
and was glad to hear you was well I sent you a
letter on they 27^th it twas dated November 9^th then I
Received one dated 16^th with willies and sisters
letters in it it twas pretty good for them I have got
a chance to rite to you know with a pen and ink
it tiss they first time I have had a chance to Rite
on a table sinse I left home I am stopping at a
widdow womans house guarding her property me
and a nother soldger we have been hear a week know
we will stop hear untill we move I like to be hear first
Rate we get plentey to eat of evrey thing that is good
it tiss about 3 miles from they camp whare they Rest
of they boys are I went down to see them on thanksgiven
day it not lock mutch like thanksgiving I told gorge to
tell his father when he rites to let you know how
I am getting allong for I cannot go to camp when
I want to so he told me he would theire is one
thing I herd yesterday if it tiss true that they was
going to settle they war I hope it tiss so I would
be glad of it I juess you would to you mentioned 

[page 2]
in your letter about us been in the Rain storim
but we was it beat anney thing that ever I seen
if you was to see us next morning we was wet clean
trough we had to let our close dry on us it twas
fun I have ^had they disentery ever sinse not verey bad
about you taking suspenders you must do they best you
can we expect to get paid they first of januarey
I hope we will if we do I shall send it to you as
Quick as I get it you had ought to have got
your other money before this time if you want aneything
in they store he had ought to give it to you untill
I get my pay you wanted me to let you know if I got
they comb you sent me I did and all they Rest of they
things that you send me. I should like you would let
me know how david is getting allong I have rote to
him when I was on they march so I have not heard
from him sinse I have or I do not know what to rite
to you know but there is one thing they reson of us
stopping hear so long we cannot move anney further
just know they Rebbels hold Fredericksburg and
we cannot take it just know they are strong^ly
fortified so we cannot whip them just know 

[page 3]
Nor I do belive we never can by fighting they are
something like florotemple at running all they places
that we have came troug they left and when we
left they came back again so instead of we
driving them they are driving us I do not know
what to say about it but I am tired sick of it
we left joseph Mccluskey behind us at harpers
ferrey he could not march we left dick singleton
two I think dick will die he was verey bad when
we left him there is about 8 more there too that
has been sick it tis a hard place to be sick
hear let allone well about what father said to
me I do not know onley to rite to him it tis not but
I wish him well just as well as if I rote to him
you can tell him that I am well and you can
let him read my letters that I send you I shall
have a big storey to tell him when I get home I
hope it twill not be three years untill I see you
all again I wish for home a good manney times
but I keep up my spirits hoping it twill not
be long untill we all shall meet again onley
for hope I should not know what to do
give bill my best Respects tell him that we have

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had a hard time sinse I seen him there is one thing
that I have not told you about our nabsacks we
have never got them yet sinse we left Washington
nor I belive we neaver will all they things that you
made for me is in my nabsack pins needles and tread
is in them all they boys they are woreying for them
know davids gorge Hubards and all they boys are
gone some of them had 10 to 12 Dolors worth of
Stuf in them they ware sent to Harpers Ferrey after
we left there so they ware sent by some teams to
catch up with us but they teams could not so
they put them in a old barn and they have been
Stolen So we have been told evrey thing was taken
out of them I suppose they want us to get knew
ones know but they boys wants to get there old ones
it twas they same time that Mr Hubbard came to
see us he can tell you about them you can tell
him that we never have got them nor never will
we have been used evrey way and aney way sinse
we started we have to put aneything we carey
in our blankets all they rest of they Regments
has got them but they Poor 14^th they have got
Some poor officers and Quartermaster he
is making his money on us aney way so we
have to take what is given or go without

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