The following letter was written by Samuel Cony Haskell (1831-1911), the son of George Washington Haskell (1803-1855) and Eleanor Spratt (1801-1889) of China, Kennebec county, Maine. Samuel was married to Mary Jane Cole (1833-1933) prior to 1855 and the couple resided in the town of China at the time of the 1860 US Census. Samuel enlisted on 18 December 1863 as a private in Co. C, 30th Maine Infantry. He transferred later to Co. G and to Co. B. He was described as 5 foot 11 inches tall, with black hair, and dark eyes, He was honorably discharged on 20 August 1865 at Savannah, Georgia.

The 30th Maine was organized at Augusta, Maine, and not long after they were mustered into service in January 1864, they were sent to New Orleans for duty in Louisiana.

Writing to Mary in the midst of the Red River Campaign in late May 1864, Samuel complained: “We have had some hard fighting to get down red river. i hardly know what to write. i wrote all the news when we was in alexandria. i do not know how much of it you have got. we joind the regt the first day of this month. we have been fighting every few days since we came back. we have marched over a thousand miles since we left franklin [Louisiana]. there is about three hundred of us left yet but we are poor ragged and loussey. when we left franklin i wighed 168 lbs. yesterday i waid 140. we have been through enough to kill any man. i have seene the time that i would give a dollar for what i could eat out of our swill pail but i will not try to discribe it. if you knew what i have suffered you would not take much comfort. but they say our march is over for this summer but i am afraid it is not. we are in camp on the bank of the missippia river just below the mouth of red river with orders to be readdy to moove at an hours notice. we expect to take transports for port hudson or new orleans and there go into summer quarters. that is what they tell us. the weather is so hot that we cannot march much. we have had a number of men sun struck the past week. i have stood it well so far but if i was at home gain they could not higher me to inlist. i would not be hired to go through what i have again.” [Source: May 24, 1864 Letter by Samuel C. Haskell posted on Find-A-Grave]

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Baltimore [Maryland]
Wednesday morning, October 5, 1864

Dear Mary,

It is with pleasure I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines will find you and the children the same.

Well Mary, it is ten years tonight since we were married and in that time there has been a good many changes and we have both of us seen many a trial and hard time. It has always been our lot to work hard and it is different with us from what it was then for them we had no one but ourselves. Now we have quite a family to look after. But I have nothing to reflect on for you seem nearer to me than you did ten years ago although it has been my lot so far to be gone from you a great part of the time and that has made it hard for us both for I am never contented away from home, and it makes a great deal of hard work for you and you have always stood up under all of your troubles and trials without complaining. But I am in hopes that the time will come when this cruel war will be over and I can return to you and never to leave you again. If it was not for that hope, I believe that my courage would fail me although I am having a very easy time here now.

They sent away all that was fit to go to the front last Monday. They did not say anything to me about going and we have not had any new ones come in yet.

You had better not hire much work done this month. It is not impossible but what I shall be at home again this fall. We do not know who will be sent home nor when. Nor we shan’t till the order comes. I saw the order in the newspaper and it was to send home all soldiers that was not fit to go to the front. If I should come home, I could do the work and save hiring. I am very anxious to hear from your mother. I am in hopes to get a letter this morning when the mail comes up. I will finish this this afternoon.

I did not get any letter this morning so I will close this. This is the fifth letter I have sent to you since I came back here and three papers. I only got one from you yet. I drew me an overcoat last Monday. I want you to write as often as you can and send the paper. I want to see you and the children very much. I have no news to write so goodbye from your husband, — Samuel C. Haskell