The following letter was written by Henry D. Lincoln (1839-1900), the son of Joseph and Sally (smith) Lincoln of Attleboro, Bristol county, Massachusetts, who served in Co. I, 4th Rhode Island Infantry. Henry enlisted as a corporal at Pawtucket on 14 September 1861 and was with his regiment at Antietam where he was wounded and hospitalized for months afterward. The regiment lost 21 men killed and 77 men wounded at Antietam when they were hit in the flank by A. P. Hill’s Division as they attempted to advance though Joseph Sherrick’s 40 acre cornfield beyond Burnside’s Bridge. Henry was eventually discharged on 15 October 1864. He received a disability pension after the war but was able to supplement his monthly payment by employment as a railroad conductor. Previous to his enlistment he had been employed as a “stair builder”—a trade he learned from his father.

This letter was written in late November 1864 while the regiment was still bivouacked at Camp Casey near Washington D. C.

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

[Camp Casey, near Washington D. C.]
November 24th [1861]

Friend Everett,

I have just got through supper and smoking and I thought that I would write to pass away the evening. I don’t know when I shall write again. There is going to be something pretty quick. Friday we got paid off and tonight the guard house is full. All the guards were brought in drunk last night. You had ought to of been here this morning and seen them. There was a squad of them, I can tell you. Last night the Major, the Colonel, and the Doctor detailed 12 men from each company to go on picket dity. They went 8 miles from camp. What they went for, nobody knows but them that went. They had to take an oath of secrecy to say nothing what they went for. One of them that [went] told me that he laid two hours side of the wall and did not dare to speak. His orders were that if he [was to] see a man, to shoot him down. We have two spies in the guard house now. I hope if they be rebels, they will hang them.

Tuesday our Brigade has got to go to the City on a review. There is to be thirty thousand reviewed. Would not you like too see them? The story is that we are going on an expedition. I hope we shall for I want to see Old Jeff and if I see him, I will kill him if I can.

It is very cold here now. It snows a little here now. It has stormed here very near all the time for a week. Newton was down here to see me the other day. He is the same old six pence. He has not altered any. I wish that I had his gun and dog out here. There is something to hunt out here. One of the boys killed two rabbits with a stone. The woods be full of them. Newton says that Uncle Sam pays four shillings a cord and board, clothes. It is a easy way of getting a living but a dangerous one, don’t you think?

So I should like to step in and see you a little while tonight but I guess that I shall see Old Jeff first. If I. do see him, I will try to make him say rip, would not you say. He says that he is going to hoist his black flag in Massachusetts. I guess that if he is there, that will be when he is dead. Think Barnum would give something to have him in his museum. If he will lay low, he will get him by the first of April. Should not you like to see him in a show case? He would look handsome, would not he?

How is Orin? Give my love to him. Tell him to come out here and he can see some fun before long. I wish that I had a little cider. I be gettin’ dry. Well, I shall have to dry up for I hain’t got much more paper. Good night. Write, won’t you, for I like to hear from you. Yours, — Henry

4th Regt. R. I. V., Co. I, Washington D. C.