The following letter was written by 39 year-old Enoch Carkhuff (1824-1881), the son of Jacob Quick Carkhuff (1786-1865) and Catharine Cole (1793-1862). Enoch was married in 1844 to Mary Reed (b. 1825) of Somerset county, New Jersey. Their only child was George Van Nest Carkhuff (b. 1850).

It was in late August 1862 when Enoch volunteered to serve as a private in Co. E, 30th New Jersey Infantry—a nine-month’s regiment. He mustered out of the service on 27 June 1863. At the time that Enoch wrote this letter in March 1862, the regiment had already participated in the “Mud March” and were awaiting orders that would eventually take them to the Battlefield at Chancellorsville, their only major engagement, but they escaped with little exposure and no casualties. They had 64 deaths from disease and 14 desertions during their nine months service.

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Belle Plain Landing, Virginia
March 7th 1863

Mary and George Carkhuff,

Dear friends—I take the opportunity to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines will find you the same. I have no news to write about the move for all is quiet here now. We have plenty of work to do now days but we ain’t going to work very hard for the pay we get.

The mud is drying up a little but it is bad enough yet. I got my box last Sunday the 1st of March and it was all first rate. There was four loaves of bread and four good pies, ginger and doughnuts, and a fine big pound cake and cheese and butter and apples and two first rate pair of stockings. I tell you that I live bully now days. You must let us know who sent us our night caps. You must tell them we are very much obliged to them for their present. They are very nice to wear in our tents or outdoors, either. The boys wonder who made them. Some of the stuff they did know and some they did not know where it came from but they are very much pleased with them.

I suppose you are thinking about moving pretty soon. George, you must work smart and help mother get ready to move. You must let me know who moves where you are. They say that we will get some more pay this month. I hope they will pay us some so that you can pay doctor all his rent before you move. Maybe he will let you stay yet for 4 dollars a month if he don’t rent it soon. You must let me know who bought Dunman’s houses and whether they are all rented or not. Give my respects to Mr. Ore’s folks. Tell Mr. Ore he will have to come down to Old Virginna and see the elephant and then they will know how it goes to have a box.

You must let me know whether Tunis is home yet or not. Mr. John Whitenack and Sherfeherder and Mr. Hope has been down here this week and they said that John Davis and Ellis Porter is coming down next week. But the boys don’t think that they will come. Our young boys is getting tired of the business. Samuel Davis is not very well. He don’t do much duty now nor hain’t for some time. He has got plenty of the war. If he gets back, he won’t come again. But I must close for it is most time for the mail to go. But you must write soon for I have not heard from you since I wrote the other letter. Goodbye mother and George. Your dear husband and father, — Enoch Carkhuff