Fort Cummings Nov. 27th 1864
Dear Children-
Since writing you last
we have had some rain which
I presume was snow up north
with you, then very cold weather
so that water froze over very
thick, then it became spring
like. Whenever I had an oppor-
tunity I worked at my tent I im-
proved it, tho’ it was so cold
some–
times that hands feet nose and
ears troubled me some in the
early morning. My chum cannot
work much, and my axe, the only
tool I had to cut with was very
dull, but on Friday we moved in
The door is not hung but an
old rubber blanket we found
keeps the air out. Then two
good ventilators, while an old stove
keeps the tent or house dry and
warm. The floor, to be made of
pieces of old boxes will be laid
at our leisure.
I say tent or house for
after I describe it as well as I
can see if you can tell what it
should be called. The sides and
ends are made of split pine
logs making each two pieces
about 4 or 6 inches across. The
sides are about 8 feet long and
four feet high, with the slabs
lying down split side in. The
ends have the slabs standing on
end, the lower end set into
the ground, making the house
about 7 feet across. The cracks
are filled in with clay dug
out of the ditch which runs
around our fort, and which
make a very pretty looking log
cabin outside like this [See page image for drawing of structure.]
The roof is made of
four shelter tents. They shed the
rain perfectly, but do not keep
the cold out.
Inside Mr. Wisner has
his berth on one side of the
door and mine is on the other.
They are made of small pine
sticks laid on crutches so as to
be about 18 inches from the
ground, and serves for beds
chairs & sofas. Under the beds
and at the foot of them are boxes
with our little eating apparatus
books shoes wood &c, like this -
[See page image for drawing of layout.] at the end opposite the
door is the stove. There is
no table in our furniture &
The inside, showing only new
split pine, and nice new white
shelters, looks very nice and
clean, and our tent is much
praised. Others are building anew
each on his own plan. Some have
all the logs stand up, others all
the logs lying horizontally, some
have one wide berth for two,
others one berth above the other,
but all about the same size &
height. When ordered into winter
quarters all are obliged to build
alike. Our Captain only orders
us to make ourselves comfort-
able. We almost hope that
we shall not remain here all
winter but if we are to move we
hope it will be soon. Every day
or two we have reports or surmises
that we are going somewhere.
The negro regiments who
have been encamped near us have
all broken camp, and gone to join
Genl
Butlers Army. Some new
Penn. Regiments have come in to
take their places. The more we
saw of the negros the better we
liked them and were sorry to
have them go. The Regiment near-
est us moved Yesterday morning.
The evening before they had received
their share of the Thanksgiving gifts
sent to the soldiers, and had also
just drawn several days rations. As
we saw them breaking camp we
went over and helped ourselves to
what they left. You will laugh to
know what spoils I got. Well two
bayonets, an English musket with
no ramrod, an old coffee pot, two
gun barrels, 5 prs old shoes from
pair for fatigue duty – an old canteen
a pint of rice, four turnips, two
quarts potatoes, and four of onions
and one of beans, some soap, and
some empty tin boxes, and some
boards, and a door for the house
Mr. Wisner got a wash basin, lot of
potatoes, boards, stove barrel &c.
Some got only eatables, one
man in the battery, Clark whom
Uncle Watson may remember as
the Engineer who ran the Engine
over the turn table got two or
three barrels full of onions beans
potatoes, turnips, cabbages meat
and other things like them.
We may be ordered to
leave at any moment and then
our tents will be ransacked
and rifled in the same way for
when we march all luxuries
& extras are left behind.
As for Thanksgiving – There was no
work to be done, so I had a chance
to work on my house. The only
good we got from the great effort
to give every soldier a dinner was
a barrel of apples reached the
Battery, so each man had two
small greenings. The next day some
small turkeys arrived, my share
was two pieces of bone, part of a
wing, & some sour bread stuffing.
Saturday had 3 baldwins and a
roll of bread from
Boston which
had been intended for the 35th
Regiment.
That day thanksgiving I
had been on Guard. This is
composed of four men and a
corperal. My relief was from
12 to 2 P.M from 8 to 10, and from
4 to 6, tho we all have to sit
up & keep awake all night. At
about 6 one of our men came
make a great noise. Some of
his friends tried to quiet him
but he would not listen to
them. The Capt coming in ordered
the Guard to put him into his
tent. He resisted & struck and
kicked us, but at last we got
him in & at the Capts order tied
his hands and feet, and then
two of us had to sit by him. I
sat till my relief at 8 when I
was glad to put on sable sabre
& walk the beat at the gate.
The next day the man was made
to stand from 6 till 5 handcuffed
to a wheel.
It is nearly taps when
all lights must be put out so
I must close without making
Charlies &
Marys nice letters