Letter written by George W. Pearl, private in the 117th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company C and F, to his father and mother of Clinton, New York, from Camp near Fort Ripley, January 11, 1863
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2d Bat (2nd Battalion). Camp near Fort Ripley (Fort Ripley, Maryland) Jan 11th/63
Dear Father (Pearl, George A.) & Mother (Pearl, George A.) (Pearl, George A. (Mrs., Marcia C.)) (Pearl, Marcia C. (Mrs. George A. Pearl))
I am
on guard to day (today), on the third
relief and go on at one oclock
I recd two
papers [Herralds] last night
all I recd from home
last week. We are at work
on the Battery yet. The Engineer
said last week if we had two
weeks more pleasant weather
we
could finish up. It rained
quite hard yesterday afternoon
and most
of the night but is
cold and pleasant this morning
Four from our
company got
discharged from service last
week and went home. On
account
of not being able to do Military
duty. There is a report
that we
are to be paid off between the
15th & 20th of this month.
I hope it is so. Two fellows
were here yesterday from the 34th Regt (34th Regiment)
one was wounded at the battle of
Antetam (Antietam) (Antietam, Maryland) in the hand and the (then)
had been sick with the summer
complaint. Their quarters were
at the Convalescent camp
The first one (name John Morgan (Morgan, John) )
belonged to the same company
that John Booth (Booth, John) does, and said
he was well acquainted with him
I have but little news to write
to day (today). I am well, never felt
better in my life weigh 172. lbs.
It brought Capt Roys (Roys, Charles H. (Captain)) down a
peg being under arrest. The boys
in the company say they
like him better & better evry (every) day
The companies at this camp
are E (Company E). F (Company E). G. H. & I (Company I). I havnt (haven't) seen
or heard anything of Niles (Niles)) or Dick (Dick)
since we moved The companies
at camp near Fort Baker (Fort Baker)
are A (Company A). B (Company B). C (Company C). D (Company D). & K (Company K). Niles (Niles) & Dick (Dick)
are in company. K (Company K). were well
the last I knew. A day or two
before we moved they had their
tent burnt up and considerable
of their clothing. It caught a fire
from their stove. It was an
underground stove A hole dug
in the ground with stove on top
The wind whirld (whirled) down the chimney
which blewe (blew) the fire into the
tent and set it a fire (afire) when
they were out. No more at present
Give my love to all enquiring
friends and save a good share
for yourselves. Write soon
To G. A & M. C Pearl (Pearl, George A.) (Pearl, George A.) (Pearl, Marcia C. (Mrs. George A. Pearl)) From your Son G. W Pearl (Pearl, George W.) P.S.
please send me
a few pens as the pens
we have down here are
good
for nothing Yours, G. W. Pearl (Pearl, George W.)
Solidur (Soldier) Prayer.
Our, father, which is in
Washington (Washington,
District of Columbia)
Honest Abe (Abraham Lincoln) (Lincoln, Abraham (President of the United
States))
is thy name. thy will be done, thy,
victories
won, in the South as theay (they) are in the North.
Give us this day our daily rations of
hard-tack
and [salet-hours] , Keep our Gunboats from
leaking,
and make our [fireplaces] heat up good.
Forgive our short comings as we forgive ours (our)
[Quartermasters] for
[theirs] for thine is the
power. the soldier to
hire for the space of
three years. Amen.
This prayer
Simons (Simons)
wrote
off for me. He coppied (copied)
it of (off) a paper (the Utica (Utica,
New York)
evening [Telegraph]
The
paper said it was the [prayer]
Sergt Bancroft (Bancroft (Sergeant)) brought home
from here but I never saw
or heard of it till I sow (saw) it
in that paper Your G W Pearl (Pearl, George W.)
Part: of 6 
