The following letter was written by Reuben Stephen Kirk (1834-1910)—the “tinman” of Springfield, Vermont, and the son of William Kirk, Jr. (1787-1874) and Lydia Bruce (1794-1854). Reuben was married in 1858 to Mary C. Long (1833-1910) and was the father of one (surviving) child named Ida G. Kirk who was born in 1862.

Reuben enlisted on 19 December 1863 to serve in Co. H, 10th Vermont Infantry. Perhaps he was drafted. He entered the war as a private but his age and maturity elevated him to a corporal in early 1865. He was with the regiment throughout the Overland Campaign, Opequan, Cedar Creek, and the Appomattox Campaign before mustering out on 29 March 1865 to return to his small family. According to his obituary, Reuben participated in “14 of the most important battles of the war.”

Transcription

Camp near Weldon Railroad
February 2nd 1865

Dear Mary,

Another month has passed swiftly by—a month gone on my second year in the Yankee army. The question comes to mind tonight with force, what will another year bring forth? But still I would not seek to look into those things that only deity knows.

I received a letter from you dated 26th yesterday while on the picket line and I passed a few moments very pleasantly reading it over and over and thinking about Ida—how she looked when writing to Father. I have the picture fairly drawn in my mind now & it is a pleasing one. I think I have not missed writing you twice a week lately. I presume you have not got all of my letters. I am glad you went to the Donation [fund raiser]. I hope you will go out as much as you can so as to not get lonesome and homesick or sick (of home rather).

I have no choice about you letting the rooms. I want you to do as you please with the house while I am away. I shall not want you to send me any more money. I earned 50 cents washing Monday. I pick up some change now and then in that way so I have a plenty now & I do not need to spend any for a good while now I have got the box of goodies you sent. I am living like a king now but I have to be careful & not eat but a little at a time. The things will last me a long time if we do not move.

Night before last we had orders to be ready to move at a moment’s notice & I feared I should have to give away about all my stuff. But we have not gone yet & I hope we shall not at present. Our of 5 nights past, I have been on camp guard 28, picket one, so tonight I am plotting on having a good sleep and who knows but I shall visit you in my dreams (I hope so). I found the pickles and other canned stuff—lilly I think you call it—very nice & it goes complete with my pork and beef. The sausage too was No. 1 on the list. I have not eaten Ida’s candy yet. I guess it is sweet but I would swap it for a kiss on her red cheeks.

I made a mess of my griddle cakes for supper. I mixed the meal and flour together with salt and a little vinegar to rise them and they were extra nice. Sergeant Ross that I tent with received a box the other day from home & nearly half of the contents have been taken out & what there was left was well mixed up.

John Howe has come back to the company. I have written to [ ] to send you some money if he has it to spare, to pay up your store bills. You know how I feel about store debts. I think a good deal of my credit—more than most men do.

The rebs sent over a bullet at the post I was on yesterday but they did not take very good aim. I heard the ball whistle as it passed us. They are rather saucy. We are so near that we can converse with them by hallowing moderately loud. Their camp fires are right in sight in the edge of a woods. We are strengthening the works in our front & working on the forts more or less every week when not on duty. Today we had target shooting and battalion drill.

Lieutenant Thompson of our regiment has got back. He was taken prisoner at Cold Harbor the 1st of June. Also two privates—one was taken here near Petersburg in July last. They tell hard stories of rebel barbarities too sad to relate. Methinks they will have sins to account for that are enough to sink any native.

I received two papers also from you a few days ago. I wish I could get hold of something to send you but I cannot as I know of. I am attending meetings evenings when I am not on duty & I think I am profited by doing so, I am well and happy so cast not a anxious thought for me. Good night almost with a kiss.