The following letters were penned by David Hathaway Hinds (1844-1864) of East Livermore, Androscoggin county, Maine—a small, tight-knit and deeply patriotic rural community. Though historically and yet largely agricultural, the arrival of the Androscoggin Railroad a decade before the Civil War was opening new markets and industrializing the economy. Because so many young men like David enlisted to fight in the Civil War, many farms faced a severe labor shortage, forcing women, children and even elderly grandparents to pick up the workload. Unlike many families in the 19th Century, David’s parents—Elkanah Leonard Hinds (1811-1888) and Mary Hathaway (1816-1887)—did not have many children. The 1860 US Census that they had only five. They were in birth order: Revillo or “Vill” (b. 1841), Abigail or “Abbie” (b. 1842), David (b. 1844), Frank (b. 1848), and John (b. 1858).
When David reached the age of 18, he enlisted on 14 August 1862 in Company C of the 16th Maine Infantry. He sustained wounds during the Battle of Gettysburg, where the 298 members of his regiment received the perilous order to maintain their position on Oak Ridge at all costs to facilitate the retreat of the Union’s 1st Corps—an order executed with unwavering commitment, resulting in near annihilation for the regiment. The surviving soldiers, David among them, continued to fight in the Overland Campaign, remaining with his regiment until 19 August 1864, when he was captured in the 2nd Battle of the Weldon Railroad. Tragically, he succumbed to death three months later while imprisoned in Salisbury, North Carolina. No memoir, no biography recounts the life of this young man; only a collection of letters, cherished and preserved by his family, tells of his valor and sacrifice. Thus, David stands as the solitary voice articulating his personal narrative of loyalty and service to his country in the 16th Maine.
Over the years I have transcribed a number of letters by soldiers serving in the 16th Maine Infantry. They include:
Albert Church Brown, Co. C, 16th Maine (38 Letters)
William Henry Broughton, Co. D, 16th Maine (1 Letter)
Daniel Franklin Houghton, Co. E, 16th Maine (1 Letter)
John F. Robinson, Co. E, 16th Maine (1 Letter)
John H. Fraine, Co. G, 16th Maine (8 Letters)
James Thomas Dakin, Co. K, 16th Maine (1 Letter)
Letter 1
Fort Tillinghast, Virginia
Sunday, August 24, 1862
Dear Mother,
I have just got to a stopping place. The regiment arrived at Camp Casey Friday where we stopped until today when we was ordered to strike tents and pack knapsacks and marched about a mile and have pitched our tents and have had dinner. The place we left was called Arlington Heights. It is situated just across the Potomac about a half mile from Long Bridge on the road they retreated from Bull Run from. The weather was warm yesterday but not so warm as i have seen in Maine. The inhabitants here say it is growing cooler every day. There is a great many peddlers round here selling melons, peaches, apples, &c. They sell watermelons as big as pumpkins for 12 or 15 cents and give some away.
There is a great many government teams around here—all mules. We see 50 or 100 teams every day, four or six mules to a team. The drivers are part colored people and drive by sitting on the near hind one’s back and only have one rein to the near head one. The mules are a very interesting set of animals. they make horrid noises neighing. There is eight or ten teams here with our baggage. There is some large ones here. Tell father I saw one 16 hands high and not 4 years old. There is a great many of them larger than Black Betsy. You must have the stable put up right and hire somebody to do the work. I sent home a hundred dollars that will pay some. I shall send home some more in two months. Tell Frank he is father’s man now and he must do his best. I shall come home as soon as he wants to enlist.
I saw a private in the 7th Maine in E. P. Hinds’ company. He said he was a first rate fellow [and] liked very much by the company. I like the country here better than I expected. Have been well all the time. Was just weighed and my weight was 160 pounds so I think I am growing fat. The living is good enough. I had baked beans for breakfast and as good as you ever baked. But I don’t see any pies nor cakes excepting doughnuts occasionally.
I saw Uncle Albert in Augusta the day we left. I did not see Vill nor Lin [?] in Boston. You tell Vill where to direct when you write. Tell my little sister I will send her a bill to buy her a dress with if she can pass it. It is counter[feit] secesh money. You can buy it round here for 5 cents a bill so I thought I would get some for curiosity sake.
Tell Dixie that Da [David] is coming home as soon as he shoots a rebel. Direct to Washington, D. C., Co. C, 16th Regt., Maine Volunteers. If the regiment moves a hundred miles from here, the letter will come to me. I must close now for I am going to write to Hoss [?]. Yours son, — D. H. Hinds
Letter 2
Camp Whipple
Arlington, Virginia
August 30th 1862
Dear Mother,
I have to do something to pass away the time so I write a letter every day to somebody. I wrote a letter to Abbie the other day and one to William Henry yesterday.
I find this place as healthy a place as can be. There is not many in the regiment sick. They are tough and growing fat, I think. I gain in flesh fast. We live as well here as we did in Augusta. Can find tomatoes enough by going out of camp. They grow wild round here. We can get watermelons enough for 25 cents a piece and [paper torn]…There is peaches enough here at the sutlers so you see I can get fruit better here than I can in Maine. This regiment will be put into forts around here—one or two in a fort and what is in the forts now will go into service. I suppose there is a battle going on now near Centreville though you get the news probably before I do. I don’t like the country very well. It’s awfully dusty. Have not seen any rain but once and that was Thursday about 5 o’clock p.m. It rained very hard for about a half an hour, then it cleared away and dried off so the dust flew [paper torn] day as well as ever.
I seen some military punishment yesterday. They put a fellow’s knapsack full of bricks and made him lug it most all the afternoon. The offense was he got to fighting with another private and the Officer of the Day ordered him to stop and he spoke bad language to him and the Colonel arrested him. He was under guard a day or two before he received his sentence. There has not been one of our company in the guard tent yet and I don’t think there will be any.
I like all our officers well. Our 1st Lieutenant is Harry Austin from the Aroostook. Our 2nd [Lieutenant] is Marshall Smith of East Livermore. I suppose you know him. Our Orderly Sergeant is George D. Bisbee of Caxton. Our regiment was praised very much a coming. It was said that the regiment made the least noise and [paper torn] on its way than any other one that has been through. It was spoken of as the best appearing one that ever marched through the City of Washington.
We received orders the next day after our arrival to join Gen. Pope’s Army but they went and told them that his regiment was not drilled at all. They said they thought by the way it marched through the city it was as good a drilled regiment as was in the service.
I will write another sheet full when I get one from home. — David H. Hinds
Letter 3
Camp near Sharpsburg [Maryland]
September 25th 1862
Dear Sister,
As I have plenty of time, I will write you a few words to let you know that I am as tough as ever. I received a letter from you and Lizzie a while ago and have written an answer. I also wrote to mother Saturday.
The regiment is now in Rickett’s Division and in Hartsuff’s Brigade. It is in the same place as it was when I wrote to mother. We are camped in the woods. At night when the campfires are all burning, it looks like a camp meeting in East Livermore, only I don’t see any girls nor policemen. Our chaplain preached a good sermon last Saturday afternoon. He is a better minister than “brother Libby” or “brother Hatch.” He is a Baptist. There is prayer meetings every evening here somewhere on the ground. Your friend Stephen Morrill is one of the grand leaders.
There is a balloon about a mile from here. It goes up a little ways once in a while. the rebels are so still now that they don’t send it up to look at them but I suppose they are going to.
The corn is about ripe here and the orchards are most all gathered. As the soldiers have been here some time, it is ruleable here for the soldiers to “detail” (as we call it) all that comes handy if we need it. The apples here are as good as they are in Maine—if anything, a little better. I have made a great deal of apple sauce. We draw sugar once a day so I can get sweetening as much as I want. The beef that we get here is fresh. It is killed in the morning and brought in before noon and is all are before night so you see I don’t get any stinking beef nor salt junk. We draw as much bread as we like, and coffee. It is all ground and I don’t know what it is made of. It is not all good. W. I. [West Indies] coffee I guess.
I can buy cakes, cheese, raisons, and such like if I want to here at the sutlers’ but their prices don’t agree with me. Little cakes not much bigger than a silver dollar, they sell three for five cents, and raisons they sell some times at thirty cents a pound. and from that all the way to forty, and cheese is from 25 cents to 30. They don’t sell it here less than 30 cents but at Arlington they sold it for 25. That don’t sound much like hauling it to Pittston in the winter and selling it for 9 cents. I guess folks in East Livermore would grow rich fast if they could sell their cheese for 30 cents a pound or half as much. It don’t taste nor look much like mother’s cheese. It is all full of holes and tastes as though the roof of your mouth would come next. [rest of letter is missing]
Letter 4
Camp near Sharpsburg, Maryland
Tuesday, October 14th 1862
Dear Mother,
I received your letter containing a sheet from Lizzie today. I received that one that you and the children wrote a fortnight ago and I answered it and have written one to Revill and one to you since. I got one from Lydia Hinkley and Will Sawtell today also.
I have not been in any battle yet and don’t think that I shall very soon as the Brigade is a reserve corps and will not be called unless there is a battle near here and it is called upon as reinforcement. There is not much drilling done now. There was a brigade drill yesterday and today there was general inspection. The new general inspected us. Gen. Hartsuff was wounded in battle and now it is Gen. Taylor. There is quite a lot of pickets sent out every day and there is a great many of the regiment sick so that we shall not have to drill enough to hurt us. I guess that there is not over six hundred of the regiment fit for duty now. There has been quite a lot discharged and there is a great many in the hospitals. Some was left at Washington and some at Frederick City. And there is some over two hundred here that is not fit for duty. I stand it well yet. Have grown fat. I weigh one hundred and sixty-one. That is good heft for a little 18 year-old boy.
The boys from East Livermore are all as well as common. James Ridley is some sick and Calvin Beals has been sick for a week or so but is much better now. Dorill Hobbs is as well as ever. His folks are kind of worried about him and when I write, I will just state his case (be it painful or easy) and he will do the same for me when he writes.
In my last letter I wrote about getting somethings ready to send to me. I know nothing more now about where our winter quarters shall be than I did then. I don’t feel the want of any more clothes now much but I suppose I shall by next month if we stay in this place.
Tell Revillo and Abbie that they must write often and a good deal at a time. Tell Lizzie that I will write to her another time as I can’t write any more for it is growing dark and the mail goes out early in the morning.
Your son, — David H. Hinds
Co. C, 16th Maine Regt.
Washington D. C.
Letter 5
October 17th 1862
Dear Sister,
Yours was gladly received last evening and now I will endeavor to answer it. I received a letter from mother last Tuesday and answered it the same day. It was written since yours. I got a letter from Hoss last night. He says that the sick “woman” was a little too sick to go to the levee so he did not go. Poor boy. I pity him. I know what it is to [ ] with sick women and sleepy ones.
I have written a letter to Lydia this morning and have got two or three more on hand to answer so shall not write much this time. I wish you much joy in keeping school this [fall] as I believe it is in the neighborhood of the Goden’s. I hope that won’t be too hasty in taking care of the 100 cows that Lizzie wrote about. Give my love to all the galls in school (school marm and all). Tell Dixie that he must keep the boys at work as well as he can till I get home. I would like to know if you ride a horseback much. You must make Vill saddle Julia for you and when you get on to her, make her dance and rear as I used to. Write soon and a good deal to your brother. — Dave
Letter 6
On picket 3 miles from Warrenton [Virginia]
Saturday, November 8th [1862]
Dear Sister,
The last letter I got was one from Mother dated the 30th. I have written an answer to it. I suppose I shall find one in camp from you when I get there. I am on picket here in the woods 3 miles from camp. Came out last night. Are having a good time. Have eaten as much as a peck of shagbarks. They grow here in all quantities and descriptions and a great lot of other nuts. I helped catch two hogs last night and we have had plenty of fresh pork for breakfast and diner and have some in my haversack to carry to camp. Since we have been marching in Virginia, the poultry yards suffer a little occasionally by the loss of chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese and many the poor sheep that loses its life by the knives of the soldiers. Sometimes a bee hive happens to come into camp and you would see the boys with a hard bread and a hunk of honey as big as your fist. I believe the best honey is that stolen from the secesh.
I don’t think that I am very far south yet for it snowed all day yesterday. At night there was an inch on the ground. But I can’t see any now as it is the warmest day that we have had for a week. There was a frost every night. Some mornings I have seen ice as thick as window glass.
I don’t know how long the regiment will stop at Warrenton. I guess not more than a week. When we start, I suppose we start towards Richmond. I am well. I find I can stand the exposure and marches as well as any of them. I saw Levi Garcelon at Berlin [now Brunswick]. The Maine 10th is there now. He said that [Eben] Cory Whittemore was at Washington in the hospital has a flesh wound in his side that he received in the battle of Antietam. Tell Lucy that Calvin [Beals] is in the 2nd Maine Battery [and] has the privilege of riding a horse. He thought he could do more for his country there I suppose.
Orrel Brown has been some sick but is now with the regiment. He is getting smart. James Ridley is quite sick now [and] is in the hospital. For all he was so tough at home, he don’t stand any better than some weaker ones. Darill is well. He is as tough as ever. I will finish this letter when I get one from you if I don’t have to wait too long.
Thursday Nov 13—Not having a chance to send this and not receiving one from you, I shall finish her up and send it with mother’s. I left Warrenton the day I wrote the above. I hope you will have a pleasant school this winter. Write often to your brother, — Dave
Letter 7
Camp near Rappahannock Station, Va.
Wednesday, November 12th 1862
Dear Mother,
I received your letter dated the 2nd last night and was very glad indeed to get it. The last one I got before this was dated the 20th. I have answered it. I commenced one to Abbie the other day but could not finish it so I will send it now.
We are away down by the Rappahannock now in real rebeldom. We arrived here last Saturday night about midnight. We marched all the way from Warrenton that night after 4 o’clock. the distance we went was 18 or 20 miles. the rebels are on one side of the river here and we the other. there is some skirmishing carried on here between the pickets so when I go on picket, I have a lively time of it. There is not much inhabitants close round here—only one in a while a family of secesh who consist most all of negroes.
We have some good times once in a while here now as it is a practice to detail all you want from secesh. Pork is about as cheap here I guess as it is in Maine. We can get it by just catching and dressing. We don’t mind if it comes out of a pen or where, and sheep are here in all quantities so we get all the fresh mutton that we want. All the trouble with it is it is so fat that it is all tallow when it is cooked. Last night there was a good fat sheep brought in to our captain and it was divided around the company. The cavalry boys got it. They make quite a business getting sheep as they catch them better than we can.
Our knapsacks and tents were left at Arlington Heights but we took our woolen and rubber blankets but left everything else though I was lucky enough to take an extra pair of stockings so I am not so bad off as some of them. We did not get tents till after we left Sharpsburg. 1
I di not know how long we shall stay here. We are liable to move any time, I suppose. I don’t know when we shall get into winter quarters. I guess not very soon though it is not very cold here yet so I don’t need any clothes yet. When I wash my shirt, I wait till it is dry. My pants begin to wear out some. There is a big patch on one knee and the other is growing thin. I shall do that the same sometime. You need not worry about sending anything yet awhile.
Tell father that I was very much disappointed in not receiving a letter from him. I think the regiment will get paid off in the course of a fortnight. The boys from East Livermore are all well but James Ridley. He is not with us. He is in the hospital somewhere.
Tell Vill when he writes enough worth answering, I will write to him.
Brother Vill—I am quite surprised at your going to California. Think it will be very romantic if you do. If you want the revolver to take with you and think it will be ant protection to your brains, you may take it. I will make you a present of it. If you go to that place to dwell with the uncivilized people, you will want some protection. I am as well as ever. Dorill has got to be a corporal [and] is getting into the line of promotion. He was made corporal in place of James N. Brown, a deserter. The captain has not returned yet. Has been reported as missing. Today it is snowing. A night or two we had quite a thunder shower. Their weather here in Virginia is invariable. Please write again before you make your departure. Your brother, — David
1 David’s letter speaks on the regiment having only their blankets and no tents. They marched and camped through much of the wet autumn weather in 1862 without tents, overcoats, or proper gear, and were forced to wrapt themselves in blankets to sleep at night. This situation was so striking that other regiments sometimes mocked them and called them the “Blanket Brigade.”
Letter 8
Rappahannock Station
Sunday, November 16th
Dear Sister,
I received a letter from you Friday eve. It was written last Sunday. I received one from mother last Tuesday that was written the week before. I wrote a letter to Revillo when I was to Sharpsburg and have not heard from it yet. I will number all the letters that I write home now after this date so you can tell if you lose any. I received a letter from Hoss the same time I got this.
I am as well as ever but I guess you would say rather nasty though. It is a cold, chilly day. It looks as though it was going to snow storm here. I wrote you about it before, I guess. It has been very pleasant weather here this fall—not much rain.
We are on the left bank of the river (the Rappahannock) near by the railroad bridge. There is pickets sent from this brigade to guard the bridge and keep the rebs from coming over. Our regiment goes once in five days. We went last Friday. There is quite a large force round here of cavalry, artillery, and infantry. There is cavalry sent over the river every day after forage. The bring in flour, sheep, cattle, grain, &c. We get some good mutton once in a while. It is the biggest half grease. The sheep out here are very fat.
We have had woolen blankets and rubber blankets with us ever since we left Arlington Heights but we left our knapsacks and overcoats. We have tents now—little ones made for three. They are made of cotton cloth in three pieces.
I must stop now for orders have come to strike tents and be ready to move. I don’t know when I can finish this.
Wednesday, November 19th 1862—-I guess I can finish now. We marched about three miles Sunday down the railroad to another station and joined another brigade. It is Duryea’s that we are in now. The other regiments in it are [all] New York regiments. I don’t know why we are shifted from the brigade that we was in. Both brigades are in the same division.
I don’t know where we are now nor how long we shall stay here. We only marched about two miles this morning. I am not very n=much taken up with the country here yet but think more of the country than of the inhabitants which are all secesh and negroes and considerable many of them are mixed breeds.
Give my respects to all inquiring friends and write often to your brother, — David
I hope you will enjoy yourself Thanksgiving Day. I get a chicken or a turkey once in a while. I guess my Thanksgiving will be most anytime.
Letter 9
Camp near Brook Station
Sunday, November 30th [1862]
Dear Mother,
I received a letter from Revillo and Abbie last evening, and seeing that you directed it, I will direct this one to you.
I am well. Had quite a good Thanksgiving. Not much to eat worth bragging about excepting some good baked beans for breakfast. But we got knapsacks and I found my overcoat. It’s quite acceptable these evening when on guard. We came here a week ago today. I don’t know how long we shall stay. There is several thousands of troops here and the cars run every day so a mail goes and comes regularly every day.
There was a funeral here yesterday—a fellow in Co. B was buried. He died Thursday. The funeral was conducted in military style. The Colonel conducted the procession. The music went ahead [and] played a very slow mournful tune. Then a squad of soldiers with their muskets, carryingthem at the position of “reverse arms.” The corpse was carried by six men. The chaplain walked behind it. The stars and strips was spread over the coffin and the whole company went as mourners. At the grave the chaplain read a chapter and made some remarks. The men with guns fired three volleys. Then the procession left and the flag was taken off the coffin and the corpse was lowered and buried. There has been but two deaths in this company yet. They both died lately. Was left at Smoketown, Maryland, in the hospital. One was a Mitchell from Jay. The other was Charles Oaks, Mt. Vernon.
I don’t know as I shall be anywhere so as to receive anything from home. I do not want for clothes any now. I have drawn one shirt and them that I wore from home are quite good yet. I want you to send the gloves that [I] wrote about by mail immediately. It will cost but 24 cents. Should be done up in form of a paper. There has been quite a number of boxes come other the boys in this company so I guess that there will be no danger of my not getting them. We have not been paid any yet and I think we shan’t be before January or February. I am about strapped for money now and if I should find a “dollar or two” in the next letter, it would be very extremely pleasing to myself!
Tell father that it would do me a great deal of good to receive a few words from him. You must set him at it some rainy day. I will close now and write some to my little sister and Vill. Yours son, — Davis
P. S. I would like to know if you got a new “necessary” built this fall or if you have to make out with the one half that was suffered to remain standing. — D. H. H.
Letter 10
Camp near Brook Station
Friday, December 5, 1862
Dear Mother,
I received yours last evening about 7 o’clock and now will answer it. It was mailed Monday, December 1st. It took but four days to come. The cars run here all the time. They do not carry anything but government supplies so we can get the mail now regularly. there has been some new clothes issued to the regiment and I have drawn a pair of drawers, a pair of pants, a dress coat, and a shirt so I am well off for clothes now. I shall not need anything more right away if the gloves come—and I think they will be sure to if we don’t move away from here. And I don’t think we shall move, only to get a better camping ground as I think our winter quarters will be near here.
George Hodgdon was here yesterday. He did not go home with the rest of the 7th [Maine] Regiment. He is driving an ambulance now for Franklin’s Headquarters. He asked me if I knew Revillo had had a letter from him. He said that he had written to him but had received no answer.
I saw the cavalry boys that went from East Livermore. I wish you would write which regiment and company Hanna’s husband is in. I may have a chance to see him and strike an acquaintance with him.
I think it would be a good plan to buy some sheep and raise your own wool. If you could see some of the quantities of clothing that I have seen delivered to some of the soldiers, you would think it took some wool. The sheep here in Virginia are all confiscated and ate up by the soldiers and I rather think that the stock of sheep in this part of the country and when war closes there will be a greater call for wool than there is now.
When I get paid off, I shall probably get four or five months pay and what I send home I should like to have laid out in sheep and kept till I get home and see what they amount to. There will be a good place to keep them in the old stable if it is not full of swine as it used to be. I want you to tell father about it and see what he thinks of it. Sheep will cost from 4 to 6 dollars probably and therefore what I send will not be enough to buy more than a half a dozen or so. That won’t make much difference. [remainder of letter missing].
Letter 11
[Editor’s Note: In the letter that follows, David describes the fighting by the 16 Maine on the Union left flank at the Slaughter Pen Farm under the command of General George Meade. On 13 December 1862 they charged across an open muddy field towards a heavily defended Confederate line entrenched along the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad embankment. In a ferocious “bulldog” effort, they actually broke through the Confederate line, suffering a devastating 54% casualty rate but winning the deep respect of the entire Army of the Potomac. See Horror and Heroism at the Slaughter Pen Farm by Kristopher D. White.]
Camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia
Thursday, December 18th [1862]
Dear Mother,
I received the gloves and a short letter Tuesday. They came all right. I wrote a short letter to you Monday and stated that I had been in a brush and came out all right.
To commence at the beginning (a week ago today), our forces shelled the rebs across the river and drove them and put spontune [pontoon] bridges across so our forces could get over. This brigade (under command of Col. Root) went over Friday early in the morning. We lay round all day and that night there was a great force crossed that day, but not much fighting—anything more than skirmishing.
Saturday morning we was called up early, ordered to get our breakfast and pack up. About 8 we marched down toward the left wing of our force. We began to hear guns and I thought the day’s fight had begun. We stopped in a little hollow but we soon heard some shells whiz! Some struck near us. We was then ordered up and double-quicked it to a safer place where we stayed some time. Then we marched forward to where our batteries lay and took our position in a road in front of our artillery [where] we, being on lower ground than they, formed a good chance for them to play over us in safety. All this time there was firing of our artillery at the right and left.
About 1 o’clock the firing increased. The rebs have the shells [landing] nearer than I liked it [which] made us lay as snug to the ground as we could, I tell you. I now heard musketry going on in front of us but there was no lead reached us. The position which the rebs held was the woods about one-third of a mile from us, parallel with us. At 2 o’clock we was ordered up and toward the enemy we went, about halfway to where one brigade was holding the rebs a very tough game. We was ordered to unsling knapsacks and fix bayonets. The balls whistled some then (I was a little scared). Some of my company got wounded then I noticed. We forwarded and relieved that brigade—they fell to our rear. They said, “Give it to them boys!”
We then was ordered to fire by files. We fired two or three volleys, was ordered to charge bayonets, and so we did, right upon their ugly pictures. Some run for the woods and some stayed and surrendered. We now could see their position [more clearly]. It was by the railroad in the gutter where they had a great advantage of us as it made a complete breastwork for them. We still forwarded into the woods and fired into them, they all the time returning as good as they got, but we drove them although they cut us up so till we was ordered to about face and go back. Then the rebs give it to us good and my comrades fell on all sides and we run some, I tell you.
Letter 12
Camp (I don’t know where)
Monday, December 22nd, [1862]
I have just received your letter No. 3 and now reply. I have written two letters to you since the fight. I suppose you have gone one of them before now. I am well now. I don’t know exactly where we are. We shall go into winter quarters in a few days.
I suppose you will hear the accounts of the battle and I will not say much about it. I should not care about going into another so tight place. I got the mark of a ball on my coat, thought myself lucky in getting out so easy. I saw Ed Sawtell the other day. Cal[vin] Beals was not hurt much. He is with us now.
You must put father up to buying sheep. I shall receive somewhere around $50 when we are paid off (as I see it, it is just 5 months today that I have worked for U. S.). I see in the papers that wool will be very high next year and I would like to find a nice little flock when I get home. I think it best to buy good ones and females. If father won’t buy any, you must. But don’t go ahead of Mrs. Dow.
Tell Revill to write. I don’t get a line from him very often. He can write as well as I can. The money come safe. It is growing dark and I will close. — David H. Hinds
Letter 13
Camp of the 16th Regiment, Virginia
Monday, December 29th 1862
Dear Sister,
I received your letter last evening and am very glad to have a few lines from you [even] if you cannot write a whole letter. I should think by the glowing description you gave me that you had some interesting pupils under your tuition. I hope you will have a good school and get through it well. I don’t think I shall go to school this winter as I live too far from the schoolhouse. But I have learned a great deal since I left home—not so much in military as in human nature. I have had a chance to see a great variety of characters and dispositions.
I suppose you have cold weather enough in Maine and snow enough for sleighing. It is not cold at all here. Last night there was a little frost. Today it is pleasant and warm. Have had no rain nor snow for a fortnight. It seems like September while it is the very last of December—almost New Years. I suppose it will be when you get this. I hope you won’t get so far as Jay Hill and “turn back by gosh.” I guess you have not got any Nathan there this winter to take you round. I don’t hear anything of him lately. I don’t know whether he is at home or not and Lin: I have not heard anything about him for a good while.
When you write again, please write all about the young folks—those that were together last winter. I reckon they don’t have so many “rinctums” and singing schools to go to as they used to last winter. AndI hope they don’t any of them turn short over stone walls, nor get into the snow deep and the “like of these.”
I wonder if Bubby and the “sick woman” strikes out occasionally. Does Rose get any beau’s this winter? And poor Lucy. Calvin [Beal]’s wound was not at [all] fatal. He wears no holes in his garments. A spent ball struck him on the collar bone and jarred him a little, that’s all. I think he will recover with a free use of “hard bread” and the rest of soldier’s diet.
I don’t have much to do now. Am living a lazy life. If I had something good to read, I should like it. I guess you must send me a paper once in a while and while you are about it, do up a handkerchief inside of the paper. It won’t cost anything. And I am badly off now for the want of a “rag” as father would say. The dollar came safe. Yours truly. Your brother, — David Hatheway Hinds
Letter 14
Camp of the 16th Maine Regiment
Sunday, January 25th [1863]
Dear Mother,
I received your letter last night and was glad to learn that the things were on their way. Dorill got a letter from his [mother] also. I suppose we shall get the box this week sometime. The stockings that I bought from home have lasted me. I have not had to draw any yet. One pair I have mended once and the other pair needs it some but I think they have lasted very well.
We have had some fun the past week. Last Tuesday morning we got orders to be ready to march at 12 o’clock. It was hard for us to leave our log houses and mud chimneys but we had to come to it without grumbling any. We were going to cross the river again and have another tussle with the rebs.
We marched till night and it rained all night long adn the next day it was rainy. The third day (Thursday) we did not march any. Friday we marched but in our back tracks toward our old camping ground. Col. [Adrian Rowe] Root (Col. of the 94th New York, commander of the Brigade), told us that we should get some rations as soon as we got back where the teams were. When we started we only had three days rations. Them were all gone Thursday night so we could march toward our hard bread as a dog toward his dinner. Col. Root also told us that all we had got to do was to march to our old quarters and we must keep up good courage. He is a good man. The soldiers in the brigade all like him. I guess he will be promoted to Brigadier General.
We got back here last night about 4 o’clock. Was glad to get to “our home.” The rain had made the roads so bad that artillery nor anything else could not move. Some places the mud was a foot deep and some places deeper. Tell Will that going through the mud up to the knee with 10 pounds of it on each foot, knapsack on my back, gun on my shoulder, cartridge box with 60 rounds in it—tell him it was fun. But it would make a common man think of his grand children. But now we are back in our old quarters and enjoying life as well as ever.
Coming back yesterday, we came by the 6th Maine [Regiment]. I saw Charles Weaver in it. He was well. I received the paper and handkerchief and the letter that Will wrote some in and answered it. I will answer every letter as soon as I get it. The oftener I get a letter from home, the oftener I shall write. I guess I shall get some money this week. The paymaster is in the brigade.
Spared & Shared 23 