Oct the 25 1862
Dear mother I now sit down
to write a few lines to you to let
you no that I am well and happy
and all the rest of the boys are so we
all feel that thare is a good deal to do
for out country and we are bound to put
it through the best we can we are on
capitol hill about a half mile from
the new capitol it is a prety place in
fare weather but it is a very dusty place
when the wind blows some days it is
warm enough and when it comes knight
it is cold enough and some days it is
cold enough to ware our overs coats it
is not much like maine and for my
part i like the old maine best if
thare is so much snow in winter for
the dust flies as bad as you ever seen
snow, thare is a good many prety places
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out here. the grass is as green as it
was in June they leavs haint bgan to
drop of yet. long island is a very
prety place and so is new Joursey City
baltimore city is a deasont looking place
and new york city is. boston is all
streats and old carts we had a very
good time a coming out in the boat and
then we took the cars the rest of the way
O we went in the cars from Portland
to fall river and then we took the stamer
to new Joursey city, there is a good deal to be
seen in this world, the pigs hogs cows dogs
and nigers and gese all run to gother out
here and when it comes dark thare is some
thing a making a noise to keep a felow
a wake when we want to go to bed we role
up in our blanket and 4 or 5 lays down to
gother in a little tent and rest very well
on the ground when we want to write we
take a large tin plate and turn it up side
down on our knees and write very well
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I haint bin home sick yet I dont no but
I shall but I am good courage for we get
hard bread and salt horse the boys call
it we had a march down through old
washington the other day but I dont
think it is a very prety place thare
is to many nigers to make a prety city
we are about 4 miles from one of the
old battle fields and we see the places
whare whare some of the soilders buryed
their horses that has dide, they lages
stick out of the ground all around in
some places and you come to march
whare this old carin [1] lays and it smells
very bad and some of the boys said that
they marched over one field whare the
soldiers toes and knees would stick out
of the ground O ware is bad we are in hope
that the great being who sees all things
will have peace soon they have had a
batle a bout 30 miles from here since
we have bin here. when I was in baltimore
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saw about 80 rebels that they took
prisners they looked as if they had a
hard roe to hoe they said that they
did not have any blanket nor over
coat and the clothes that they had on
was poor that is about all the news of
the south. tell father that I sined
that role for 10 dollars a month to
come to him and I want him to see
about it when he can so that thare will
not be no mistake and I guess I shall
send some money home and some
postage stamps they want [2] pass out here
and I want you to take them and pass
them of[f] I shall send some money
next time and I want you to see how
much thare is that comes so that I can
tell if thare is any taken out I want
father to five that 3 dollars to the church
and let them no that it is a gift from
me and he may give that other 1 dollar
to the mishonary that makes all I
belive and if I send any home I want
him to take care of it till come home
which I hope and pray that I shall give
my love to all write when you can
dyrect you letter (Elisha Turner)
25 Me reg Co C Washington
DC

[added at top of page 1]
when you write let me no if Mr
mrill Meril Knights folks have hurd
from Joseph or any the rest of the soliders
boys