Officers Quarters Camp Tippicanoe July 7 ~1861
Turn to 4^th [a reference note at top of page?]
Emmie I take my pen this Sabbath
night to write You a few lines to let you know
the Beauty of camp life. My days work is done
unless Something happens during the night to
Some of the men I am well with the exception of
a Cold Which I caught at Logan and got revived
to day Some how It is raining while I write
But all is dry and comfortable our tents are
very good and all the inconvenience a rain
would make would be cooking and out on duty
if It rains hard the guard would have a pretty
hard time but they are only 2 hours on & 4 of
for 24 hours and only about over a week
There is Some pretty hard Boys in our Company
and Some as good as You ever Saw
Our Capt & first Leut are away to day the
2^nd Leut was Officer of the guard Consequently
I am the highest officer One of the Boys
got Drunk and Came in to camp with a
Stone in his pocket Swaring he was going
to knock down one of the men I went up to
him and asked him to throw it a way he refused
[written along right margin]
for there is a PO in the camp one of my men on guard called me to
bring him a drink I just got in He git up at any time of night or may kind of
[written along top of page]
<???> to <???> or comfort any of my men and do it cheerfully but it
will enform <on?> the <captain?> I found one of the guards asleep
his post was not <???> <???> <???> <???> <???> gave him
a <???> the fellow was scared so bad that I proceeded not
to inform but <???> <???>
[page 2]
Case with him but no go told him
if he disobayed Orders he must go to the
guard house he Swore we could not take
him there I called the Corperals and the
fellow was calleboosed he knowed it would
not do to Strike an officer Sure and if he
had he would have missed his man. I begin
to feel like fight and would just as soon
begin here as any place I have made up my
mind to go to war and am going if I have to
go in the Ranks but dont feare that
I think we will get Our Uniform and arms
this Week then we will go to Camp Morton
if I can get off after I get my Uniform I am
coming home before we go in to Service
I do not think there will be any danger
but I can get a furlow for Our Capt thinks
I am Sum Punkun Of an Orderly
and Says if he goes to war I am going to stay
in the Situation I now hold tell I am
promoted and he will do his best for me
So You need not be surprised if you heer of
me waring a pare of appoletts before Six months
if I do not get my chunk knocked out by some
of the Ceceshes
[page 3]
now 12 o clock and I must go to sleep [written at top of page]
there is to be 50 Sharp Shooters out of the Reg
- ment for Skirmishes and advance guards
the best Shots proven by trial the Commanders
Will be a post of honor in fact any of the 50
will be an honorable Position I think I can
Kill a Cecesher as far as most of the men
and allow to give it a trial and the best turn
I hav got in the Shop. The Boys are most of them
pretty well Sadisfied but Some men grumbles
if they were going to be hung -------------
had a good time the 4^th in a horn the citey—
of Lafayette Invited Colonel B— in to March
his Reg went in to the City we marched
through the principle Streets through the
dust and saw the Rope performance then
Came back to Camp Dinnerless they sent
a Committee to appologize for the treatment
But what good does an appology do after the thing
is done If they get us out agan for a Show
it wil be twice Jess Cornwell and I <???>
holes an Office by my Influence either as good
as 2 soldiers pay and <jesses?> is an honorable position
with a good chance for promotion if they tend
to their Business I have not bene out of Camp
200 yds since I came in ex cept on duty
[page 4]
and tho Cap Says he believes I am the best
OS in the Reg-T for I am always on hand and
tend to my duty that is the only way to get promoted
I hav gone out to war and that is right I will
try to learn Show this letter to Grand Mother
Sally Hill JAD & Lady And all of our folks
Luce Sally and as many of my friends as wants to
hear from me for I have not got time to write
to all so one letter to a family of Friends must
do I wil try and write to all after while when
I get something interesting to write I wrote
to grandmother Yesterday and gave Some of
the particulars you will get to see that so there
is no need of repartition I believe I spoke about
our uniform it is gray cloth gray cap & ja<???>
coat of the same color <l?>ooks neat and
is good material I saw a Sample I want
you to answer all of my letters and <more?> to
tell the girls to write too and give the news
for you do not know how much good it does
a Soldier to heare from home altho I do not
Suffer my self to think about it
give my respects to each one of the family seperately
and tell them this letter is intended for a <family?>
concern Direct your letters to my address Camp
Tippecanoe Ind Care of Capt Histter
H H Miller O.S.
[written along the left margin]
If we moov before the letters get her thy will be forwarded to us
[written along top of page, continued from page 1?]
for asleep in an <???> <???> <County?> one post is death but the fellow
did not <???> the penalty it <???> is only <Colle?> <boored?> <???> to <???>