The following letter was written by Henry Israel Wilder (1840-1864), a 21 year-old farmer when he enlisted to serve as a private in Co. E, 1st Massachusetts Cavalry on 18 September 1861. He was wounded on 30 July 1864 in the small skirmish at Lee’s Mill, Virginia, and died the following day at City Point. The skirmish took place as Gregg’s 2nd Cavalry Division attempted to coordinate an attack on the rebel right as the Battle of the Crater took place.

Henry was the son of Israel and Mary (Childs) Wilder of Conway, Franklin county, Massachusetts. The loss to his parents would be sad enough but Henry was married while home on furlough to his hometown sweetheart Maria E. M. Graves on 7 March 1864—less than four months before his death.

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November 26, 1862

Dear Sister,

I got a letter from you last night (dated the 9th) and was glad to hear that you were well and I will write you a few lines to let you know that I am the same. I cannot tell you the name of the place that we are in camp at for I do not know myself but it is not far from Fredericksburg (perhaps three miles) and something like 10 miles from Aquia Creek where we first landed after we first came from Port Royal.

I suppose you would like to know if we have any hard times while on the march. I must say we do see some times which are not quite so agreeable. For instance, when we had a little snowstorm some two or three weeks ago, I was orderly fo the General and had to ride a large part of the time both night and day without any gloves or anything to wear on my hands which was rather cold riding. I was left an orderly until my horse failed up and now am with the company—out company being so small noew it makes the duty harder for the men that it would if they were all here. But we are expecting the new recruits and all the rest of them here today or in a day or two.

Yesterday we had to go off with Gen. Hooker to a review in Gen. Stoneman’s Corps and today they have gone out on another review but did not have to go as I am on other duty.

We have small shelter tents to cover us with. They do very well for a shelter and but little protection from the cold, although I have not suffered very much yet and hope that I shall not, and don’t think that I shall.

Our rations are very good such as they are, pork and hard tack, hard tack and pork, all the time with occasionally a little fresh beef and coffee for drink.

Perhaps you would like to know how I prepare my meals. We have these common tin plates which I take and fry my pork in over the fire and then I take my hard bread and soak them in water and then put them in the fat which I fry out of the meat with the water which I soak them in and then hold the mess (whatever you may call it) over the coals until I think it is stewed enough and makes me a comfortable meal, but what we want is a change of diet. We have had no potatoes or beans or rice or anything in the vegetable line for a long while and it does not agree with me very well. I have had a diarrhea for near two months but does not seem to affect my health very much. But I had by far be rid of it.

About our pay, I don’t know as we shall ever get any more. They owe us from the first of May. Frank sent me $3 in a letter some time ago and do not know but I had better have Sam send me $2 to get me a pair of gloves with for fear we shall not get paid.

Tomorrow I shall think of home a great many times as I suppose it will be Thanksgiving Day with you. But you must eat chicken pie and rice pudding for me this year and I hope that I shall be at home next year to help you eat Thanksgiving dinner. Mr. Lincoln has got his discharge and is a going home. He will be likely to come and see you. Tell little Charlie there are lots of hogs down here but they never bite me. But the naughty folks try to shoot me sometimes but they don’t make out much.

Yours with respect. Give my respects to all, — H. J. Wilder

Please write often as I will do the same as often as I can. I send you a lock of Charlie’s and my hair in the letter. Charlie says that his hair is so short that he don’t know as it will do you any good and mine is not much better.