Sharing food and utensils with the enemy at Petersburg
Author
Recipient
Date Written
July 24, 1864
History Referenced
The following was written 158 years, 8 months, 3 days ago.
It was a Sunday.
Before Petersburg Va.
July 24th 1864
Dear Sister,
I received your letter today and as you said I was somewhat surprised in receiving a letter from you mailed a Moose River. I have been in the hospital sick with the fever for the past fifteen days but returned to the Co. yesterday. I have got pretty smart again, but I am very weak. I might have stayed in the hospital another month if I had wanted to, but the Regt. are laying still in front of Fort Warren and I thought as long as they were laying there I would rather be there than at the hospital. It was so lonesome there I fell away about thirty lbs. When I went to the hos. they had to carry me on a stretcher I was so weak. If the Regt. does not march I can stand it. If they do, I will go to the hospital again. The Rebels are about ¼ of a mile in front of us and we have pickets out within twenty rods of them. Just now as I write, the Rebs threw a shell in to our picket line with a Battery away in the rear of their pickets and broke two men’s arms in Co. B., the next Co. to ours. It is the first firing there has been along here for a month. Our boys and the Rebs trade with each other and yesterday one of them came out and hallowed to one of our boys that he wanted to borrow a Spider to fry some meat in. He carried it out to him and in a little while he brought it out and our fellow went out and got it and there was two large slices of bacon in it to pay for the use of it. They will hallow at our boys and ask them when they are going to take Richmond and all such stuff. Our boys tell them they will when they get Washington. Well Nettie the time has got round when I can get my commission if I want it, but I will not take it now. I have only one year to serve now and if I take that I will have to stay for three years more and I will not do that as I have seen enough of war. I am in hopes to get through another year all right. Give my love to Richard and all the rest of the folks and write me after whether you hear from me or not. I will write evry opportunity.
Write soon. From your brother,
J. H. Frain
Another man has just come in wounded in the leg
Scans of Letter
