DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Marks Family letters, 1861-1865

Transcribe
Translate

1863-12-11 Page 4

This was a clean sheet of paper when I commenced to write but Ned and Sharp came in off of picket and was cleaning up their guns and squirted the dirty water on it.  I don't suppose they would thought of their guns if I had not been writing.  We have a merry mess it is called the Attica mess and we see more pleasure and have better times than most of the company.  I will tell you who all composes the grand Attica delegation.  Sharp Lazarus Ned Snalegaster Jake & Hardee or in other words T E. Newman D Newman E. H Mark H. P. Grave and the worthy writer also L. H. Parker  We has assumed different names since we left home.  We thought it better for our health.  I will now give you a description of our tent and furniture we have staks put in the ground about four feet high then our tent on top of that we have a floor in it and a mud chimney, our chairs are barrels sawed half in too with boards nailed on them for seats our table is the floor.  We fry our meat in a frying pan and set it on the floor and all get around it and eat.  We generaly cook when we get hungry if we have plenty of rations we eat a great deal and if we run out of rations before draw day we do some keen grovling and if the commissary sargent would make his appearances just then he might go off with his smeller in his hand.  Oh we are a merry set and have the life of a dog it just suits in  Well if I don't close pretty soon the boys will eat all the dinner up we never wait for one or other when we get our meals ready if he is not present he cooks his own when he comes  We near leave anything.  When we get done eating.  the mail comes at one oclock and if don't get a letter I won't write anymore for three days.  Now stir up and write us a letter and perhaps you will get more hereafter.  So no more this time but remains your undutiful cub F. H. Marks

Saving...

This was a clean sheet of paper when I commenced to write but Ned and Sharp came in off of picket and was cleaning up their guns and squirted the dirty water on it. I don't suppose they would thought of their guns if I had not been writing. We have a merry mess it is called the Attica mess and we see more pleasure and have better times than most of the company. I will tell you who all composes the grand Attica delegation. Sharp Lazarus Ned Snalegaster Jake & Hardee or in other words T E. Newman D Newman E. H Mark H. P. Grave and the worthy writer also L. H. Parker We has assumed different names since we left home. We thought it better for our health. I will now give you a description of our tent and furniture we have staks put in the ground about four feet high then our tent on top of that we have a floor in it and a mud chimney, our chairs are barrels sawed half in too with boards nailed on them for seats our table is the floor. We fry our meat in a frying pan and set it on the floor and all get around it and eat. We generaly cook when we get hungry if we have plenty of rations we eat a great deal and if we run out of rations before draw day we do some keen grovling and if the commissary sargent would make his appearances just then he might go off with his smeller in his hand. Oh we are a merry set and have the life of a dog it just suits in Well if I don't close pretty soon the boys will eat all the dinner up we never wait for one or other when we get our meals ready if he is not present he cooks his own when he comes We near leave anything. When we get done eating. the mail comes at one oclock and if don't get a letter I won't write anymore for three days. Now stir up and write us a letter and perhaps you will get more hereafter. So no more this time but remains your undutiful cub F. H. Marks