The following letter was written by William Paine Green (1838-1872), the son of Kendall Greene (1812-1841 and Mary Paine (1816-1898) of Foster, Providence county, Rhode Island. William enlisted in Co. K, 11th Rhode Island Infantry and survived the war to marry in 1865 with Miranda E. Tracy (1841-1905) but died in December 1872 leaving three children.

In the 1860 US Census, 22 year-old William was enumerated as boarders in the household of Providence jeweler Henry Anthony. Sharing a bed with him was Vincent Bowen, as 22 years old, both of them employed as carpenters. Vincent would marry William’s cousin, Julia E. Green (1840-1872) in 1863.

William’s letter was written on 19-20 April 1863 during the Siege of Suffolk by Longstreet’s Confederates.

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

11th Regiment Rhode Island Volunteers, Co. K
Camp near Suffolk, Va.
April 19, 1863

Hello Julia,

You should be here now & see what fun there is going on now. The gunboats are giving the rebs some shells. There has been skirmishing going on for one week everyday We have a large force here and there is some prospect of our having a brush this week. We are fortifying & getting ready for them as fast as possible. Most of our regiment was out last night digging in front of the enemy & are out tonight supporting the batteries. I have joined the Pioneer Corps and do not have to go out with the company. The Colonel has ordered the lights out in camp & I must stop for tonight. They are putting the shells to them right smart. Good night.

April 20th. I have not got my eyes open yet. The cannon are sending forth vengeance from our batteries & reveille’s are beating throughout our camps & they make such a racket that one can’t sleep. This is a great secesh town & there are not many white men that are fit for military duty. Everything is very high—eggs 50 cents a dozen, apples 10 cents apiece. I shall have to dry up on them.

The days are very warm & nights cool. We have not had a mail since Tuesday but I hope to get one today. Our skirmishers brought in some rebel cows and hogs a few days ago & had fun getting them across the river. The boats kept up their fire most of the night, the guards say near enough so we could see the flash of the gun and shells. I have not much more to write & the mail carrier is waiting for me. Don’t be worried. I shall get along first rate and have a good time. Write often and tell others to so the same & direct to Suffolk via Fortress Monroe, Va. & I shall get them. one day sooner than if the old way. Excuse bad writing. Yours in haste. — W. P. G.

To Julia