1862 November 23 Camp near Fredericksburg

 [on patriotic stationery depicting a Union shield
superimposed on a star whose rays are labeled as going in
every direction, including South]

        Co. D. 21st Regt. Camp
            near Fredricksburg
       Nov 23  Sunday Morning
                                  1862
Brother & Mother
                           I take my
pen in hand this morning to
inform you of our whereabouts
and give you a history of our
marchings we left our camp near
Warrington on the 15th which was on
Saturday we marched most of the
day in pursuit of the rebels we
did not come up to them all though
we heard fireing ahead  I went
on picket duty that night had
an easy time of it on the 16th we
marched again most of the day we
went out of our way some 8
or 10 miles on account of the
rebels we encamped for the night

[page 2]
pretty tired as we marched about
18 miles through woods and
swamps and mowing lots
Monday 17th we started again
rather stiff but soon got warmed
up we traveled most of the day
and I stood it pretty well we
encamped again for the night we
did not travel so far this
time Tuesday 18th  We marched
again about 5 miles and halated
for the night Wednesday morning 19th
we started for Falmouth it 4rain
ed some in the forenoon and rained
hard in afternoon and all night
we are near Fredricksburg and
Falmouth we are east of the river
about half way between the two
Thursday morning 20th raining hard
we did not sleep much as
some of laid in the water
Friday morning 21st it continues

[page 3]
to me and same more of our \
company went over to the wood
an built up fires and dried
our clothes which was pretty
wet we returned at night to
our quarters and got some pine
limbs to lie upon there was
pleanty of mud in our tents
we got the limbs to keep us
out of the mud Saturday
morning 22nd it didnot rain so
hard last night and we had
a good nights rest we
were called out for inspection
of armes and amunitionit
does not rain to day but clou
dy Sunday morning 23 we are
still at this place the weather
is some cloudy and pretty cold
we went out for inspection
of armes and knapsacks this
morning at 10 oclock which

[page 4
took about two hours we have
divine worship this afternoon
at 2 Oclock I received a letter
from edwin last Friday also
one from you Edwin writes
that he is well he says he rece-
ived a letter from you on the 14th
he says he started from Hartford
on Friday the 14th aboard the stea
mboat name city of Hartford
and landed at Williamsport near
New York and then marched 8
miles to a place called Centrehill
or centrevill I could not make out
which he expects to stay there 2
or 3 weeks he belongs to General
Banks division will go to Charleston
South Carrolina he wrote you
(mother) a letter on the 16th Sunday
I could not understand the directio
ns how to write to him very well
so I will not say any thing to you
about them I shall write to
him and direct as well as I

[page 5]
know how I have not had
a letter from Charles fur
some time I receaved your
letter and was glad to hear
from you all it was dated
Nov 14 I received it on the 21st
you wrote about there being a
mistake as to the sum of money
I left if you found a mistake
in counting it over I cannot
help it now or account for
it I supposed there was
120 dollars in the package I
did not keep any account
of my expenditures after I
enlisted if you (mother) put
the money in to the town
on interest and get a note
payable to her  she must
own the money mother can

[page 6]
have the money till I come
back and if I never come
back she can do the best
she can with it remember
ing all of her children
I am glad to hear that the calf is
doing well I did not expect to
pay tinker anything for the
pastureage of the calf he said
there was plenty of feed in
the pasture that his cattle
would not eat you must look
out for him sharp you did
not say how the hens & chick
-ens came out and I have not
heard anything about Mrs
Hoveys garden of about our
garden that is the apples and
things write me a little
some thing about them in
your next letter I found

[page 7]
this sheet of paper and
3 postage stamps enclosed
in your letter I have plenty
of boath at presant there
is plenty of rebels accrost
the river and we expect to
shell the city every day I
have not had time to write
to you before and have staid
away from meeting on perpose
to write it is 4 oclock the sky
is pretty clear and looks
like good weather now I
wrote you a letter the first
part of this month to send
me a pair of gloves if you
have not sent them you
can do so as quick as you can
I do not care whether they
are buckskin gloves or wolen mittens
with one finger if you can

[page 8]
get them as when they get
worn a little I can patch
them with any kind of stuff
but never mind now if you
have sent them I should like
any kind just now as it is
rather cool no more at
this  time.
                   I am well
            from, your Brother &
your son in the army
                  Henry W. Throne
P.S. Direct as usual
             till further
                  Orders
            direct your letters
                 plain as you
can


Henry W. Thorne, Co. D., 21st Connecticut; killed in the battle of Drewry's Bluff, May 16, 1864


MSS 10997