CIVIL WAR LETTER - 11th Ohio Infantry, CONTENT from Summerville West Virginia !

Description

CIVIL WAR LETTER
Civil War Letter by Soldier in Co. I, 11th Ohio Infantry
This Civil War soldier letter was written by Isaac “Wyke” Maurice (1836-1876), the son of Isaac Wyke Maurice (1802-1873) and his first wife, Eliza Wheldon (1799-1842) of Springfield, Clark county, Ohio. Isaac enlisted in August 1862 with his brother, David Wheldon Maurice (1838-1900) in Co. I, 11th Ohio Infantry. At the end of the letter, David has added a brief note.
The letter was written to their cousin, Joseph Wheldon of Springfield, Ohio.
Transcription
Summerville, [West] Va.
January 22, 1863
Dear Cousin,
I take it upon myself to inform you that David got all his tools and a letter all right the last mail (the night before last). David is cooking today. He has not time to write today though he may write before the mail goes out tomorrow morning. The mail comes in the evening.
I scarcely know what to say for there has nothing of any importance transpired since you last heard from us. The weather is rather rough. Been snowing & raining several days. I have not done any military duty since New Years Day except dress parade and inspection now and then. Been carpentering, fixing up quarters, and building a cook house & sundry work & ain’t more than half through yet fixing up.
The Sergeant Major was shot a week or two ago accidentally by a Lieut. of Co. G. The sergeant was sitting upstairs and the Lieutenant was fooling with a Secesh gun downstairs (not knowing it was loaded—no cap being on the tube) [when] it went off, went through the ceiling and floor, the ball lodging in the spine of his back. He lived a few days, then left this troublesome world. He was from Troy—Tom Mitchell.
1
We get mist all of the important dispatches here by telegraph every day or two—generally two fool cap sheets to write & put on the bulletin board. Tis rumored here that we will leave here before very long. From the looks of things, it may be so though I do not believe anything I hear here till I know it to be sure.
Just ate dinner. I think you had better put your usual quantity of corn ground out in beans for I think there will be a good demand before the war is over the way our boys go into them. We have a good set of boys in our mess [and we] generally have a good bit of fun. I was doing a little work for the baker this week and he gave me a couple loaves of bread and David went out in the country the other day, took our coffee and got 8 lb. of butter which goes very nice with soft bread. We have only been getting soft bread about once a week though the quartermaster is going to issue soft bread every day so reported. He has got two or three extra bakers detailed [and] they are at work now. We have had butter most all the time since New Years Day. I took our coffee out on picket the last time I was out and got 4 lb. butter. Coffee is a great object here with the folks. It’s worth 50 cents a pound and butter 15 cents.
Myself and David draw our coffee out as we do not drink any & trade it off to the best advantage. The sutler sells sugar and coffee to the country folks here. Coffee 75 cents a pound, sugar 35 cents a pound. We can trade our extra rations to the country folks to pretty good advantage when we have any to spare, Two of our boys out of our mess went out this morning, took soap and rice to trade for chickens & butter. They have just come in with a lot of pies.
A man came in with a watch a few minutes ago for David to fix. He has just taken it to pieces & finds the mainspring broke. How is my little watch getting along? Does it keep good time without getting out of order? Please answer soon. I have not had a letter from any of you folks for about two months. Yours, — I. W. Maurice
[In a different hand]
Dear Cousin, on looking over this letter I find Wyke has not done the subject justice. What he has not done is return thanks to you in a sufficient quantity to suit me. The reason is doubtless he cannot appreciate the tools as much as me. I will make a few more remarks on another page. [No more]
1
Thomas M. Mitchell
(184101863) was promoted from Corporal of Co. F to Sergt. Major in F&S on 23 May 1862. He was accodentally killed at Summerville, Va., on 9 January 1863.
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