January 1862

Washington, January 16, 1862
Dear friends,
I don’t know what they can want better than we eat. We get rice and molasses twice a week, beefsteak twice a week, pork and beans and corned beef the rest of the week. One loaf of bread a day, coffee twice a day, pea soup once in a while, sometimes ham, potatoes once or twice a week.

The smallpox was in this regiment a while ago, but it is all gone now. I thought I would not write about it at the time for fear you would think I would catch it.

You wanted to know how I got my washing done. We pay a sixpence a piece for a shirt and the same for a pair of drawers. It is cheaper than to wash them ourselves.

I got your letter yesterday and one from Harriet…

I don’t know what is the reason you have not got any letters sooner. I write one every two or three days. We have not got our pay yet, but expect to get it now everyday.

Me sending my money home must interfere with Aunt Sal’s business a great deal that she should get so mad about it.

You can tell the folks that we have plenty to eat, plenty to wear and every one is contented that is not too shiftless to be contented with anything.

It is thought that this war will be soon over when McClelland pitches into the secessionist.

Our guns got the name of being the best guns that has been seen yet. One of the other regiments are going to be armed with the same kind of guns. If you should hear one of them shot, you would think they kill by the way the bullets whistles. It goes as far ahead of the common cut rifle as you can think.

Sherman S. Leavenworth

Washington, January 18, 1862
Dear Friends,
It is nasty and muddy under foot and we don’t have to drill when it is muddy. It is reckoned that thare will be some savage fighting going on in a month
or two.

We are going to be presented with the nicest flag in the United States. Uncle Abe is going to be here when it is presented.

I want you to write if you have got that money from Mr. Eldred yet that I sent home.

S.S. Leavenworth