Unfortunately I have not been able to identify the author of this letter but I am confident he was a member of either the 13th, 14th, 15th, or 16th Vermont Regiment—all nine-month’s regiments and all part of the 2nd Vermont Brigade. The brigade was stationed in the vicinity of Fairfax, Virginia, at the time of this letter in mid-January 1862. They had been assigned to picket duty and the defense of Fairfax Court House. The signature appears to read “Coloir” or “Coloin” but this is obviously an unusual name and probably not correct. Perhaps it’s Collin? A more thorough review of the rosters of these regiments may result in his identification.

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

Camp near Fairfax, Virginia
January 12th 1863

Dear Mother,

I received your letter tonight and was glad to hear from you. I was much gratified and pleased to receive a few lines written by yourself and I hope now you have commenced to write you will write to me every time for you do not know how much good those few lines did me being written by you. I could read it all and should be happy to have had it been more.

I am well now, dear mother, and have been drilling today for the first time in two weeks. We have been having a good rain and I tell you it is pretty muddy drilling. I must tell you I received four letters tonight and I had been scolding about not getting any so they have come all together. Well they are calling us to fall in for roll call so I must go now and finish this when I can.

The roll is now called and so I must hurry to get this ready to send in the morning. I received one of my letters from Charles Russell and he said he had seen you a few days before and you was well and he said a great many things which pleased me much. Laura wrote some and she was well. The other was from Daniel and they are all well over there.

I found a pocket testament in the street in front of my tent yesterday and will try and send it to you if I can. I am happy in reading my bible and Saint’s Rest, and mother, you wrote that you hoped I would discharge my duty as a Christian. I will try to do so and my mother’s advice shall ever be borne in mind.

I was sorry to hear that Aunt was sick but I see she has got better for she has written some to me in the letter. I will write a few lines to her and Harvey if I get time tonight but this must go in the morning and as I write to them they must excuse me with a short letter to them for I am in a great hurry. Tell Ella I was glad to hear from her and will answer hers in a few days but she did not write an answer to the last one I wrote for a long time. I like to hear from all the children and when they write to me in their own way, I think it some like home. I wish I could see you a while now mother and then I could tell you many things which I cannot find time to write about now.

They have heard here that they are getting their men ready in Vermont to take our places by the time our time is up. You spoke of sending me some stamps. I have got enough to stand me a while and $4 in money. Besides, I am getting so I eat again almost as well as ever and I shall go it now pretty well. I will send you a few leaves which I picked from a bush tonight and you may see what curious things we have here. If you can tell what it is, you will do better than I can. Well, as I wrote to you all I can think of, so I must close. Write next time all you can think of and when you can’t write anymore, get someone to write what they can. Your boy, Coloin

To his Mother