Letter written by Alonzo Finch from Deep Bottom, Virginia to his brother and sister on January 13, 1865 -- Correspondence
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Camp 148 Regt N.Y.V/65
Deep BottomVA (Virginia) (Deep Bottom, Virginia) Jan 13thDear Brothers & Sister (Finch, Mary)
Yours welcome
letter of the 6th Inst arrived
to day. I improve
the
earliest opportunity of answering
it. It is the onely (only) Consolation
I have down here. to receive
a letter from
home
We have moved in our new
Quarters and are living as
Comfortable as can be expected
down here. Although I cant
say but
what the boiled dinners
you spoke of having would
come verry (very) acceptable could
I be there to share it with
you. I
trust in God we shall
all meet again around your
family circle,
where we love
Please find enclosed $5.00
Except (accept) this as a present
Let me know if
Mr
Miller (Miller (Mr.)) recd.
the letter I sent him
I [w-t-?] enclose an invelope (envelope) with
my directions on that you can send
back to me when
you write
Take good care of the girl
a boiled dinner or any other
kind we see fit to have
Thare (There) has nothing occured (occurred)
since I arrived to frighten
any one. I onely (only) hope it will
continue so while I stay
The Johnnies are
in sight
of us, so close our [--guets?]
can convince with each other
thare (there) is not [--guet?] firing
unless they put Niggers on
and
then I dont blame
theam (them). I would like to know
what they are doing about the
draft at home. Do they intend
to volinteer (volunteer) or stand the draft
I think it will be how are
you
Conscripts, this time
Tell none of the Black Republicans
to sign
their names to this regt
for we are all Democrats and
fighting men
cant receive
cowards among us
I can tell you this is one
of the best Regt in the field
[and?] has done the most fighting
through last summers campaing
of any Regt in the Corps
they commenced last spring
with upwards of 1,000 strong
they have about 100 left now
for dutty (duty). It is to the interst (interest)
of us all to keep the Regt
as small as we can
we dont want to see no
recruits for it. So dont
praise it up to know (no) one
If they ask you how I like
the 148 tell them I say if
they want to die just join
this Regt. You speak of being
in low spirits Sister Mary (Finch, Mary)
Cheer up dont let your
spirits go down. You have
a friend left in your brother Lon (Finch, Alonzo D.)
yet. One who will never
forsake you. Take good care
of your health you may have
a long life yet to live
It may be your lot at some future
day to live with me
You shall never want for a home
while I live. I have been scribling (scribbling)
along so far without mentioning
my Dear little wife (Finch, Alonzo (Mrs.)) name. It is
not because I have not thought of
her for she is constantly on my mind
I recd. a letter from her Sunday
and answered it immediately it
seems as though I ought to get one
evry (every) day. I wished you lived
close to the Post Office. It is
so much bother to go so often to
Perry (Perry City, New York) in the winter. Now for a
word of Caution dont you let [??]
go wading through the snow to Perry (Perry City, New York)
Tell her there is no use talking she
cant go unless the roads are pirfectly (perfectly)
dry. I have made arrangements so
I think whatever arrives at the Office
will be sent up to her. If this does
not work I will sugest (suggest) some other
place. At any rate she must not
expose herself. Her constitution
will not stand it
I feel as though I could not take
to (too) good a care of her. This world
would be a blank to me without
her. My deepest Love to her
I could keep on writing to you
all night but I must close
it is after bed time. More [??]
write home give me all the
news my love to a true and devoted
Sister and Brothers Alonzo Finch (Finch, Alonzo D.)
Part: of 4 
