Excellent home front letter to soldier Samuel L Pratt of the 12th Mass Vols while in Hospital. Talks in detail about Drummer Boy Dan Ashley of the 20th Mass and how his company was shot to pieces and also discusses details of Lyman Sewell of the 33rd Mass. Good Content.
North Dihgton
June 22, 1862Dear Same,
It is with pleasure the I seat myself once more to address a few words to you. I received your last letter with Photograph for which I am much obliged with which I can’t say that I am pleased for I cannot think that it look like you. The Miniature that you sent home last fall looked to me just as you did the last time I saw you but the forehead and nose is all that I can make look natural to this. I think it looks more like the Photograph of a dead man than my Samuel. Lyman Sewell (33rd Mass) that has been at home sick and has had his furlough extended once or twice with the intention of getting him discharged when he could not get his furlough extended any longer has had orders to report to Washington this week and he has got to start tomorrow. I tell you there is weeping and _____ in that home. It is harder to part with friends now that it was one year ago if possible for in the first ____ we now had a change to see a good deal of the horrors of war. Yes the _______ horrors of war. I don’t think it is any wonder that I have felt as if I could not go through with it a second tie. I think if _____ has to go out South, he will not live a month. I _____ you remember Dan Ashly (20th Mass Drummer Boy) that was to _____ a year ago last winter and played on banjo. Well he is Drummer for a Company out there. Before Richmond and when they went into battle, he was in the Hospital and one other man in the Company was off on an errand and every one of his Company was killed or wounded so that when he got back there was no one for him to drum for. I think he escaped a great mercy but there was a good many others that did not. Cooper and Morse are out there where the balls come whining in every few minutes. They have a tall tree out there with a ladder against it so that any one that is curious enough can go up and take a look in the Ports of Richmond and the other day a man tried it and after he got fairly on the look out, there was a ball just grazed the top of his head so he thought he would go down and another ball framed between two of his fingers where he had hold of a limb and before he reached the ground another passed his arm and body. There is a good many that would like a look at Richmond but they don’t want to go into quite so worn a place as that to get it. I should think by your last letter that there was not much off a ____ ____ _____ you to be at home the forth a _____ July but I don’t now what to say about coming out there. It don’t seem to me that you can be ready for me to come home and I don’t want to use the last cent of money that I have got to come with but still I want to come and mean to but can’t tell when.. I wish you would tell me how ______ ______ will be with the body under torch rifles how it can be ______.
I have got the _______ all nicely opened and it is a great job done.