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Metadata

Catalog Number

1805.044.01.04

Collection

Moore Letters

Object Name

Letter

Title

Letter from Will Moore to his Mother

Scope & Content

Will Moore writes to his Mother; he opens with a remark about his regret of informing his mother of his sickness as it was just caused by eating some bad watermelon. He goes on to inform her that his unit is ready to more out soon, they plan on crossing the Potomac river, a few miles south near Arlington Heights. Will gets slightly sentimental about missing home, but makes the distinction that he is not homesick because he would not have been satisfied staying home during the war.

Dates of Creation

September 18, 1862

Date

September 18, 1862

Notes

The full transcription for this letter is below:

Camp Ramsey Washington
September 18th 1862

Dear Mother
I received a letter from you to day [today]. I also wrote one to you on Sunday, I was then in the Hospital then I wished since that I had not told you that I was there, but I was so much better that I thought I had best let you know. I am now pretty well, am ready for duty again, we received orders to pack up to day [today] and be ready to move at an hours notice, about an hour ago we had orders to put the pins in our tents again as we would not go till [until] tomorrow morning at eig- [PAGE BREAK] -ht [eight] o clock, they say that we are to go over the river about 3 or 4 miles somewhare [somewhere] on Arlington Hights [Heights], the cause of my sickness was eating too much of a variety, I eat [oys-ters]. Watermellons [watermelons] [+c +c] the consequence was (as I might have expected) I was taken sick but, Dear Mother I am well again, so do not be uneasy. I was very glad to get such a longe [long] letter from home, as Hugh says, no ones knows the pleasure there is to be derived from words from home, to a soldier, till [until] they are a sold-eir [soldier], I hope will write as often as you can, and rest assured that I will not neglect you at home. Oh how I would like to see all, it seems so [PAGE BREAK] longe since I parted from you all, when I was sick in the Hospital I thought of your loving care and how I wished I could be with you. but do not think I am getting home sick I would like to see home as well as any one [anyone], but not when I am needed as I now am, you are right when you say that I could not be satisfied to stay at home, I would have been off longe [long] before this We and not been half so nicely situated.
We get three meals a day now. there was one or two days that we did not get but two meals, while McCllen [McClellan's] Army was passing through Washington, we get first rate rations now, I am very well [PAGE BREAK] satisfied with the Rigt [Regiment] we hav [have] good officers, and good men, Justice Rice gets along first rate he makes a first rate cook, the best we have had, he wants me to tell you that he sent a letter to fimile [family] in your care, with money in it, he wished me to ask you if we had got it, I have not written to Hugh yet but will do so at the earliest oppertunity [opportunity]. In regard to the story about Will Blakey, I do not consider it worth noticing, but I will say it is a falsehood and I am satisfied you think so, Mother I often think of your prayers and I believe they will be answered I think that I will not need a best yet, I have a pocket [?] of life. I got it in Washington. Give my love to all, a kiss for Sister
Dirict [direct] as beforeYour Son Will

Extent of Description

1 leaf, 7.6" x 9.9"

Relation

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Condition

Fair

Condition Notes

Letter written in pencil. Folded in half and then folded horizontally into thirds. The crease cutting the page in half is discolored slightly darker than the rest of the paper. There are deep tears along the top and bottom crease of the middle vertical fold cutting the paper in two. There is a small circular stain on the front page below the year. The second inside page has 2 or 4 darker smudges near the middle. The third page has a dark smudge near the center right which bleads onto the center left of the last page of the letter.

Legal Status

On loan from the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia.