Item description: Letter, dated 25 February 1864, from Edward W. Allen to his parents. In this letter, Allen describes activities at Camp Randall, Wisconsin, including a description of hardtack, friends in the Hospital, and sending photographs to friends and family.
[transcription available below images]
Item Citation: From folder 1 in the Edward W. Allen papers, #3737-z, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Item transcription:
Camp Randall
Feby 25th 1864
Dear Parents
I believe every thing is ready & I will drop you a few lines now. I have just drawn to take with us 5 days Rations of “hard tack” & cheese. The hard crackers are about 4 inches across 1/2 in thick Round & so hard & solid that in muddy weather, which we now enjoy an abundance of, they are used for paving stones & are calculated generally to last “3 years or during the war” We have got to leave a number in the hospital Lyme H. & Lt. Grover Lyme has the mumps but is getting along nicely. We expressed the box today I shall write to Mrs Hathaway tonight I had one camp [?], 1 Haversack & 1 Blanket. It was sent to Harvey shaw Brother of the artist shaw Father can git the things by calling for them as the charges are all paid
I found Jim Masters in the Hospital. He is in Co. “D” 27th Ask Mary Jane if I shall send her many more photographs.
I have had some taken
I shall send Miss Roworth Kidder Davenport & Ally Wilken one
You will receive three next week from the “gallery” one for Mary Jane one for Elizabeth & one for yourselves. We expect to start in the morning at nine o’clock Capt just recd a letter from [wife?] says Watsen is coming to Madison I am afraid he wont see us I expected or rather wanted to go home on a short visit but such is the fate of war, boys are all eager to go
Weather is nice there now so [men?] from there
Say my love to all. Why do I not receive letters from Levi’s folks Direct all your letters to Vicksburg Miss How is Jim and Jose. & all the little ones Yours affecty Edward
