New Orleans, La. July 14th, 1862
My Dear Wife,
Today I received a letter from you and oh, what a good time I had a reading. That letter, I read it over and over and am exceedingly glad to hear you are as well as you are. Hoping by the time this reaches you that you will be entirely well. Your uncle thought we could live on sugar & molasses. You forgot to tell him the proposal you made me if I would come home. We could live on love a little while. I have a large stock on hand now as ever. I wish I could come home tonight and see you. oh, my dear wife, as the day draws near, my thoughts grow stronger as I relieve my mind of business and think continually of home. The time is short and I will be patient as I have learned to be since I left home. I think you will see, on my return for a while, a change in my appearance for I have been so long in this life, or a life of a soldier, that I shall almost forget how to ap-pear. Do not, dear wife, think by above saying that I have become hardened and hard-headed as soldiers do, but what I mean by getting the ways of the men, one to keep up in appearance and society needs a change from the life, much I have been following for the past 6 months. I will solemnly confess that a soldier's life is of the most demanding kind imaginable. I know. Man belonging to the Staff of our Regiment that belonged to the Church and were very steady man of high standing. I have seen him too intoxicated that he could not walk and it has got to be an every day occurrence with him until yesterday. On the Steamer came his wife from home. He knew nothing of it until she arrived at the dock. I think someone wrote to the course he was pursuing and she came here to take care of him. I am glad on his account, but dear wife, only think. Were it your case that I had taken such a course, how unhappy it would make us both, but it shall never be, no never, and my being married is the only thing that has kept me as I am.
I am sure you do not know one-half the temptations which I have had. This Officer asked me come go with him tonight and then another, the same. My reply is I am a married man and I am sorry to say that 'most of them are, but they do not seem to think that they have wives & friends at home. One of the Staff Officers, a day or two ago, was making his brags of staying in certain houses 25 nights out of 30. He has a wife and 2 children in New Haven. I will tell you lots more on my return. Excuse me for saying so much on the subject, but you know I already expressed my mind truly to you on that subject. Enough of that.
Tonight my health remains as usual -tip top, as good as ever it was. I only want to be at home now to enjoy myself in the best manner. My money, I did not get in time to make a good speculation and so I did not enter into any speculation. I have not taken a penny except what I forward to you which, in all, makes 32 Dollars. I will bring the rest with me if I can collect it when I start for the States. If not, I shall come without it. I am a coming home. (The band is playing in front of our window. They play each night about an hour which makes it very pleasant for us).
You write me that Harriet Tooker is getting ready to be married. She is old enough that's all I have to say. Now, I will tell you the rest. As for him, he is of no account in my opinion with the least bit only fit, as the boys say, by a poor soldier for wadding. Your Aunt Orice inquired if I remember the last time I went to church in Hamburgh. I do. Please tell her I remember it well and I have not been inside a Church since the 17th of March. I am sorry to say it. I mean to go one day in New Orleans if I can get a chance. I remember the text well. "Buy the truth and sell it not". I never shall sell you. I often see it in my little Book which you gave me. It was on the 9th of March that we attended church. How much I would like to attend Church in that place with you now. We would see so many all familiar faces and we would make ours familiar too. Some stare a little, but they will get over it I'm thinking. Won't they? I long to re-turn home once more and spend one real Sunday. How pleasant the thoughts of my returning to such a happy home. Oh Lizzie, you do not know how much I think of my dear home and wife. If you only knew one hundredth part of how much I think of home and its connections, you would be as happy as an angel. You would only wish for wings to fly for me and bear me safely home. Isn't that so? Yes, yes, yes.
Lizzie, do you remember the number of mosquitoes I killed in one night on your head? I believe, if you were here tonight, you could kill 40 times that number on my arm. Don't you wish you were here to return the favor? Now for a change of subject. I am a going to look in that little book to see what you marked in it.
1. Eschew evil, and do good.
2. Happy is the man who findeth wisdom.
3. Be ye thankful. (so I say)
4. Let us not love in word neither in tongue, but in deed and truth. (That's the way we always have done and may it ever continue)
I guess that will be Scriptures. Enough from the Book. I wish I could only think of a few passages to apply in this case, but you will please ex-cuse me tonight. Oh, that makes me think. Did you see in the New London paper the lines composed on the young man who asked his mother's request to join the Army? I went to the Delta office to have them copied. They will appear in the Sunday Delta, and I will forward them to you. I suppose the young man was George Tinker, son of Deacon Tinker. You will please in-quire of Hett? She can find out if you do not go to Lyme before I return.
It is now 9 o'clock and I must retire for the night. I will write more in the morning and mail this so to be sure of its going. The mail closes at 5 o'clock p.m. With lots of kisses and my love, I am your
Henry
Tuesday morning, 6 o'clock,
I have just got through dressing and now write a few lines to you. I feel very well this morning. My head feels clear. The weather is cool this morning and that makes the difference, I suppose. I wish you were here. We could take a ride out to the Lake this morning. I do not expect to go out again for I shall not have time before I leave. The news in the city is about the same. Secesh are getting a little saucy and they keep a good lookout for them. Vicksburg has fallen. Our Mortar Boats came down yesterday on their way to Galveston. I understand the Rebel forces have fallen back about 3 or 4 miles. They left a few Mortar Boats to protect the place. The Mississippi River is now open again. All the large Steam Boats left here yesterday for up the River, but it is not yet safe for at places along the River, they fire into boats. All the boats took guns with them (small arms) to protect themselves. I will stop for breakfast now.
I just through breakfast and all is well. We had fine breakfast, sweet potatoes, fresh fish, bread & butter and good coffee. We received a lot of goods from New York this 'morning; 56 boxes, and I suppose we have 'more on the Steamer "Marion" to be deliver today. I hope they will come today for I to get through receiving and get things straightened out before I leave. About coming home. I will be home by the last of August, if not before. It is very difficult to get a passage on the Steamer now. I shall come on a ship (sail). There are several of the Officers now awaiting to get a pas-sage home. I may come home with some of them. I hope so for it will be so much more pleasant to come with someone I know. I have a lot of traps to send or bring home that whole Rebel equipment for a soldier. They are for Oc. I also have a nice sword for myself to keep to remember the way by. I have also a knife for Heber. What shall I bring you? I have a present for you, but will not tell you until I present it to you. It is a present. It was once owned by a Rebel. You can't guess what it is, can you? It is now clouding up and will rain, I think, before night. I hope it will for then it will be cool. 12 o'clock. It is now raining and it is so cool. That it is genuine good weather. I feel first rate. We had for dinner, fried sweet potatoes, rice pudding flavored with lemons, chicken roasted, brandied peaches, pineapples, nice pickles. Don't you want a pickle? Coffee, bread & butter.
I must close my letter and send the boy to the office. I send you the latest papers, July 15 Eve, Delta. I think you will find no news in the paper, but New Orleans paper is a big thing in Conn. I suppose. We have lots of papers from New York now. Every Steamer brings a load. I wrote Father a letter today telling him I would be home soon. Remember me to all inquiring friends and Oc. With all my love to you, L am ever,
Your husband, Henry
Don't you want to see H?
Tell Miss Bell to spare not the rod or she will spoil the child. Tell the rest to take care of themselves. You do the same. Since I am coming home to go down to the beach, will you go?
Yes!
Good noon from Old Ugly
(or, Henry Elizabeth Alice Ely Lord Esq.)
February 16, 2001
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