The following letter was written by Pvt. Thomas M. Johnson (1843-1917) who enlisted on 23 September 1862 in Co. A, 12th Rhode Island Infantry—a 9-months Regiment. He mustered out of the regiment at Providence on 29 July 1863. Thomas was from East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Prior to the Civil War, Thomas had attended the Providence Conference Seminary Musical Institute.
Thomas was the son of John H. Johnson (1810-1886) and Julia A. Tiffany (1810-1902) of East Greenwich, Kent county, Rhode Island. After his time in the service, Thomas settled in Providence and was employed as a carpenter. He married Adelaide E. Clark.
Letter 1
Headquarters 12th Regt. Rhode Island Volunteers
1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 9th Army Corps
Camp near Falmouth [Virginia]
January 13th 1863
Mr. E. Weeden, dear sir,
It is with pleasure I take the present opportunity of writing you a few lines. I am very well and hope these few lines will find you enjoying the same health. I have not much now to tell you for there is not much stirring just now. The Army appears to be on a stand still. We hear that General Burnside is a going to resign but don’t know how true it is. General Hooker was here the other day and said that the army had lost all confidence in Gen. Burnside and that he—Hooker—could lead them right straight through to Richmond. But the facts of it is he wants to get the command of the Army of the Potomac and I think he would if Burnside was not in the way. I think before he got to Richmond his army would be small for before they get three miles, they will get into the darndest fight they ever had for Fredericksburg is there.
I see by the paper that the Rebels are doing a bad thing for us down to Galveston. I think they had better give this war up and call it a bad job for the longer it continues, the worse it goes. Leave it to the wealth and they will settle it tomorrow.
I wrote you a letter last week stating you need not send anything to me unless I ordered it. I see by a paper received tonight that there has a vessel sailed from Providence last week with vegetables and boxes for the different regiments in the Army and also that there is another one to sail soon. Now if you will get me up a box and send it out, I shall be much obliged to you for I should like very much to receive something from Rhode Island once more—anything but army eatables are very scarce out here. If you send me a box, you can charge it to me and take it out of my money. I have not time to write anymore this evening. Give my love to your family and the boys. I send a note to Jim. Yours truly, — Thomas Johnson
Direct the box to me. T. M. Johnson, 12th Regt. R. I. Vols. in care of Col. Brown, to near Falmouth
Letter 2
Headquarters 12th Regiment Rhode Island Vols.
Newport News, Va.
February 22nd 1863
Dear Eben,
I take the present opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well & hope these few lines will find you enjoying the same health. I received your letter and was very glad to hear from you. I never received it until we had arrived here in our new camp. I suppose you have heard before this that we had moved either by letter or papers. We are in a very pleasant place on the James River 100 miles from Richmond. Everything is plenty here. Oysters are the most plentiful of anything. Barrels & barrels are brought into camp everyday. Plenty of poultry, milk and eggs. There is not quite so much red tape business carried on here as there was up to Aquia Creek.
In your letter you said you had sent the box the 7th so I looked for it every time there was any come. Yesterday, the 21st, it arrived, just two weeks on the road. It made a very quick passage indeed. Everything was in good order. The pies were a little broken from hard thumps but they were good. The bottles were all right. The boots pleased me much. They are first rate of ones. I had rather have them than three pairs of such ones as I had to pay $10 for in the City of Falmouth. They got here just in the right time for about 8 o’clock last evening it began to snow and blow. It snowed all night and this morning it began to rain. I don’t think I ever see it blow much harder any length of time than it does now. It is terrible. The tents lay in most every direction. It pulls the pegs right out of this kind of soil. It rains in perfect torrents. The tents are not much better than cotton cloth. We received new tents yesterday just like those we had on Camp Stevens so the boys get along better than we did in those little paper tents. These boots came [ ly] in this snow and water. The Colonel thinks he will have to get his tent enlarged if I stay with him and wear them.
Enoch Lovell wants to know how the pump is. He is out of a job & wants me to send his best respects to you. John Healy is around here yet. They keep him at work at his trade. He has been building a bake house the last week. Wants to know how Daniel Burdick is. I haven’t heard since I have been here. I think by the appearance that we shall stay here some time. Our time will be half out the last of this week. This would be a very pleasant place to stay the rest of the time.
I have not much news to write for there does not anything happen worthy of notice. What has become of Tim? Give my best respects to him. Give my love to all your family. Have you done anything at farming yet? Write as soon as you receive this. — T. M. J., Care of Col. Browne, 12th Rhode Island Vols., Washington D. C.
Spared & Shared 23 