The following letter was written by William H. Carr who served in Co. D, 24th New Jersey Infantry—a nine months’ regiment. On Sept. 28, 1862, the regiment was equipped with Belgian rifles and other necessary accouterments for service, and on Tuesday, the 30th, broke camp and departed for Washington, going by steamer to Philadelphia and thence by rail. It was brigaded with the 28th N. J. and 128th Pa. regiments, under the colonel of the former, acting Brig.-Gen. Abercrombie having command of the division, which occupied the extreme right of the brigade on the Leesburg road. It was afterward permanently brigaded with the 4th and 8th Ohio, 14th Ind., 7th Va., and 28th N. J. regiments under the charge of Brig.-Gen. Kimball, in French’s division, Couch’s corps. It participated in the fighting at Fredericksburg, and the loss of the regiment, which behaved admirably throughout, was severe, amounting in all to 160.

According to regimental records, William survived the war. He was mustered out of the service at Beverly, New Jersey, on 29 June 1863. William wrote the letter to Lizzie Brick (1845-1919) who married John C. Thompson (1838-1911) in 1864 and resided in Hurffville, Gloucester county, New Jersey.

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Camp Oldon near Chain Bridge
October 21st 1862

Miss Lizzie,

I am enjoying good health at this present time and hoping you are the same. I received my Father’s loving and kind letter and was glad to hear from home and to hear that you are all well. Mr. Watson wrote on his letter that you wanted me to write you a letter and I thought I would write you one this very day. I have been thinking about writing to you a long time.

We are all well in our company except five or six. For my part, I am well and have been in the army and I am as happy as a bee. We have meetings in the regiment and I think before two months the whole regiment will have religion. It it is so, it will be the greatest regiment that ever was known since the war has broke out.

Lizzie, I like a soldier’s life. I get plenty to eat. We get beef, pork, ham, rice, beans, molasses, coffee, sugar, soft bread. So you see that i get enough to eat. Today the tent is very busy a writing home to their folks to let them know how they are getting along. I have wrote a letter and sent it to Anney Hairtage and she has not sent me an answer. When I don’t get any letters, I shall stop writing. Give my love to Sally and your mother and Jack and tell Jack he must write to me. I must stop writing for the present. I remain your friend. Goodbye. — William H. Carr

Direct your letter to William H. Carr in care of Capt. Ward, Co. D, 24th Regt. N. J. Vols., Washington D. C. Write soon