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John McCoy, letter, to Archibald McCoy, 1864 March 18
ms-number: MS-605_09
To Archibald M.M.Coy Jnr
Fort Totten Newbern
March 18th
1864
My Son Archy
My Son Archy
I suppose you have given
up all hopes of getting an answer to your letter
but you must excuse me for not answering it
sooner. matters of more importance had to be attended
to first; however I still intended to write to you
yesterday I received a letter from gardner
in Baltimore he and nancy Ann is well. he has
been some time in Virginia with part of his
regiment on a scouting expedition the
saw no enemy and returned safe I guess
Gardner has saw little of camp life for the
first tented out in some of the severest
weather Virginia has seen for a number
of years ⇑[inline][even Carolina has been Colder than
is usual for winter here it is colder here
more than in January or Feb. for the last few
days but the weather here changes rapid⇑[inline]] Gardner
expects to be moved to more active service ere long
he would prefer the south or south west before
up all hopes of getting an answer to your letter
but you must excuse me for not answering it
sooner. matters of more importance had to be attended
to first; however I still intended to write to you
yesterday I received a letter from gardner
in Baltimore he and nancy Ann is well. he has
been some time in Virginia with part of his
regiment on a scouting expedition the
saw no enemy and returned safe I guess
Gardner has saw little of camp life for the
first tented out in some of the severest
weather Virginia has seen for a number
of years ⇑[inline][even Carolina has been Colder than
is usual for winter here it is colder here
more than in January or Feb. for the last few
days but the weather here changes rapid⇑[inline]] Gardner
expects to be moved to more active service ere long
he would prefer the south or south west before
going to Virginia but he must gow where
needed N.A. will go west first and then to Canada
the are both well the sent me their Photograph
likeness in the letter. I will enclose it in this
for you to keep till I come home —
Archy I must tell you we have a splended
Brass band here in fort Totten. 34 men in
all the play for us more than suits me
I am sick of music I hear so much there
is 30 stockade tents in a row and a number
of them contains Fiddlers some fluts fifes
Claronets Melodians Bones Bangos &c—
there is a concert almost every evening in
some of the tents if not there in some of
the Negrow houses. it might answer you for
a little while but I hope you will never
set your foot in such a place as this the
wickedness of the people here is beyond dis
-cription it is a wonder that the whole union
Troops is not exterminated from the earth
I wrote a letter to Mamy last saturday
the 12th inst I am expecting a letter to one
I wrote 28th Feb. the answer is due—
needed N.A. will go west first and then to Canada
the are both well the sent me their Photograph
likeness in the letter. I will enclose it in this
for you to keep till I come home —
Archy I must tell you we have a splended
Brass band here in fort Totten. 34 men in
all the play for us more than suits me
I am sick of music I hear so much there
is 30 stockade tents in a row and a number
of them contains Fiddlers some fluts fifes
Claronets Melodians Bones Bangos &c—
there is a concert almost every evening in
some of the tents if not there in some of
the Negrow houses. it might answer you for
a little while but I hope you will never
set your foot in such a place as this the
wickedness of the people here is beyond dis
-cription it is a wonder that the whole union
Troops is not exterminated from the earth
I wrote a letter to Mamy last saturday
the 12th inst I am expecting a letter to one
I wrote 28th Feb. the answer is due—
the letter of the 29th Feb. came safe—
you and Albert must send me a long
letter telling me everything that happened
there since I left home, tell me about the
cow the Hay how you got the wood choped
what kind of weather this winter how you
suffered the cold all the stir about the
Corners &c. and how pip can talk
Clean all the dirt of the dam you can this
spring and get the ploughing done early
one day of a team will do - try and raise
all you can - tell mother to knit me
two pair of socks well run in the heels
she knows the kind I want the quicker
she gets them the Better you can [illegible]
send them by mail to me neatly rolled
up in paper and directed. the postage is
8 cents for every 4 ounces ⇑or of Fraction
there of for linen Catton or woolen goods
for soldiers the Government socks is
very Bad the last only 2 or 3 weeks
the are also to large for me the three pair
I Brot from home two pair of them ⇑I left in Danvers
you and Albert must send me a long
letter telling me everything that happened
there since I left home, tell me about the
cow the Hay how you got the wood choped
what kind of weather this winter how you
suffered the cold all the stir about the
Corners &c. and how pip can talk
Clean all the dirt of the dam you can this
spring and get the ploughing done early
one day of a team will do - try and raise
all you can - tell mother to knit me
two pair of socks well run in the heels
she knows the kind I want the quicker
she gets them the Better you can [illegible]
send them by mail to me neatly rolled
up in paper and directed. the postage is
8 cents for every 4 ounces ⇑or of Fraction
there of for linen Catton or woolen goods
for soldiers the Government socks is
very Bad the last only 2 or 3 weeks
the are also to large for me the three pair
I Brot from home two pair of them ⇑I left in Danvers
⇑the worst of them I Brot with me - Mc.Curry
Said he would send them home my razor
Strap and Brush I also left the were
to be taken care of and sent home
you will mention what word there
is from Blanchette and Mc.Curry
if you get the razor you can give
it to my father if he needs it till
I come home if that time ever
comes- one of the men in my tent
James Obrien gives me his razor to
shave with with Wm French mentioned
in my last letter gave me a razor
I have not tried yet, I shave twice
a week. my health is good and I hope
this will find you all in good health
I dreamed a few nights ago that my Boots
were all Broke into holes in the upper
leather but I hope it is no bad omen
as I never believed in dreams much-the
Rebels are still hovering around this place
reconnitering our works in the shape of
spies a terable Battle is expected daily
we are Blockading the river here to prevent
the rebel ram from Co-operating with the
land forces give my love to your mother
Brothers and sisters while I remain
Said he would send them home my razor
Strap and Brush I also left the were
to be taken care of and sent home
you will mention what word there
is from Blanchette and Mc.Curry
if you get the razor you can give
it to my father if he needs it till
I come home if that time ever
comes- one of the men in my tent
James Obrien gives me his razor to
shave with with Wm French mentioned
in my last letter gave me a razor
I have not tried yet, I shave twice
a week. my health is good and I hope
this will find you all in good health
I dreamed a few nights ago that my Boots
were all Broke into holes in the upper
leather but I hope it is no bad omen
as I never believed in dreams much-the
Rebels are still hovering around this place
reconnitering our works in the shape of
spies a terable Battle is expected daily
we are Blockading the river here to prevent
the rebel ram from Co-operating with the
land forces give my love to your mother
Brothers and sisters while I remain
your affectionate father
John M.Coy
John M.Coy