The following letter was written by Arthur Rupell Aldrich (1844-1918), the son of Jeremiah B. H. Aldrich (1812-1861) and Betsey Applebee (1819-1893) of Pittsburg, Coos county, New Hampshire. Arthur was married to Violetta T. Wright (1835-1909). He wrote this letter to his father-in-law, Wells Wright (1810-1884) of Pittsburg, Coos county, New Hampshire.

Arthur wrote the letter from Portsmouth, Virginia, on 1 March 1864, while serving in Co. H, 13th New Hampshire Infantry. He enlisted on 4 January 1864 and mustered out on 21 June 1865 after having transferred into Co. B, 2nd New Hampshire Infantry. While in Portsmouth, the regiment was engaged in garrison and picket duty. Not long after, they were reassigned to the 18th Army Corps (Army of the James).

[Editor’s Note: The first transcript of this letter was kindly prepared by Abbie Weber Jones.]

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

Portsmouth, [Virginia]
March 1, 1864

Absent Father,

I now sit down to write a few lines to you to let you know that I am well and hope that these few lines will find you the same. I have not much to write but it is fine weather here now, but the sand flies as bad as bad as bad as you ever see the snow. The boys are all well that went from our place. The old boys are thinking some of going home to March meeting but I think that they will go.

I should like [to] come home to see how things are going on, but I don’t think that [I] shall come home until this war is settled. But I think that we shall give the rebels hell this summer and it will be a[n] end to a great many [lives] before that it is settled. But the rebels are a coming in every day. I see[n] one of them prisoners that got away from Richmond and he said that the rebels had got almost discouraged and a good many of the officers.

We took a rebel spy the other [night] he had the plans of the campground and the forts and everything. And we just took the young gent and put him in Norfolk jail and he will be apt to stay there until this war is ove[r].

I don’t think of much more to write. I am troubled with the Shakes [malaria] some, but not so bad as I was when I first came out here. David Moody and James Bacon was some homesick when they first came out but they are getting over it some. The rest of the boys enjoy themselves very well. A soldier’s life is the easiest life that a man can live, for they have more to eat than they want, and they have somebody to look after them. And when they was at home, they had to take care of themselves. So I think that a soldier stands a better chance than any other man, but I think that the war will be closed this summer so that we all can come home and tend to them meetings. I think that when the soldiers go home, they will take religion in abundance. I understand that some of the converts has backslidden—Silas especially. I don’t think [I have] much more to write this time. Tell Mary and Jules that [I] send my best respects to them and I would like to have them write to me and I will do the same. I must close now.  Write as soon as you get this. 

Yours respectfully, — Arthur R Aldrich

to Wells Wright. Direct your letters to Washington D. C. Co H, [13th] N H V

My pen is poor and my ink is pale. If you can’t read it, throw it away.