Albert Balcom (1835-1895) wrote this letter in mid-December 1862 from Arlington Heights, Va., while serving in Co. D, 8th New York Cavalry. Albert was from Sherburne (Chenango county) where he was a farmer prior to his enlistment in the fall of 1862. He mustered in on 20 September 1862 and was with the regiment until January 1864 when he was transferred to the 6th Veteran Reserve Corps.

Albert was the son of Francis Balcom (1813-1876) and Dinah Elmina Freeman (1812-1902). He was married to Harriet Amanda Shaw (1841-1896) in November 1861.

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

Thursday morning, December 11th 1862
Arlington Heights near Fort Albany, Va.

Hattie,

We are having the finest of weather here now, and it seems almost like a spring morning. And as it is impossible for me to see you this morning, I will spend what little time I have before drills in thinking of and writing to you. I am in the best of mood this morning and if you were here, I would be perfectly happy.

There is nothing of any importance going on here and no news of any account. As we drill on horseback, I do not get tired for it agrees with me very well to ride. We have to practice with our sabers a while every day.

Hattie, I suppose I must tell you something about our domestic or culinary affairs. Some draw their rations raw and cook themselves. But I with quite a number of others bought a cook stove which cost only 40 cents each and we have a large tent and two men to cook, so all we have to do is to go and get what we want to eat such as it is. It consists of good bread every meal (that the government furnishes and is baked by a baker), a pint of coffee without milk, all the pork or bef we want, sometimes salt[ed] and sometimes fresh, and rice and molasses two or three times a week, and potatoes about twice a week.

Our horses have had a distemper and sore tongue for some time which makes them look rather bad. My horse has got about well now and is in as good order as any horse here. The horses have twelve quarts oats or corn per day and all the hay they want, but have to stand out doors set or dry which is pretty tough as the nights are pretty cold.

Hattie, I hope you will see to everything there and see that everything is kept in order. Do not let my books get scattered about or any of my things. Hattie, be a good girl and write me. It has been some time since I got a letter from you. Goodbye Hat. Affectionately yours, From Albert

Direct as before.

If I had a wife and she would get drunk
I’d pull the hair all of her head
Look away, look away, look away in Dixie land.