Hogan: February 5, 1865

Written by a friend, David W. Clarke

Fair Haven, Ct.
Feb. 5th, 1865.

Dear Friend

Yours of the 29th of Jan I received in due season and was glad to hear from you that you as well as the rest of the folks were well and enjoying yourselves this winter. I am well and have been so since last you heard from me and so are the rest of the boys here. Nate got back last mnday night about nine oclock and if he had not have been at home at the time he would have had to have gone to the front the day before for his name was called to go along with about five hundred others and it took more than two thirds of the whole in camp. I have been expecting to go ever since but they keep me yet although I think this week will see me on the way to New Orleans La. I hope it will for this place begins to seem old to me and if only for a change I would like to go some whares else. I came across a couple of fellows here a few days ago that I would not have thought of seeing here they are from Goshen one of them a cousen of yours they had been in camp nearly a week before I came across them. I should like to be up there to go to some of those singing schools donations &c with you but it is of no use untill this war is setteled then we shall see to them a little. We have to be pretty steady here more so than I like to be at times and there is no kneed of them [their?] being so mean with us as they are but you give some men an office and they will use it just as far as they can the Capt in command of the camp here is one of this kind. We can get a pass about once a week only and then only for a few hours but we make the best of it when we do get out. Nate saies he wonders if they have found his horse yet he has not heard any thing from there since he left. If I get a chance to come up home I hope I shall have better luck than he had if I do not I would rather not come at all. It was rather a hard one on him wasent it though I think it was. The boys have some gay old times here once in a while when they get out of camp for in this state they keep all kinds of liquors to sell in evry little shop or thing of the kind. But as for me I never take any thing of the kind so I suppose that I do not know how to enjoy myself they tell me so here evry once in a while. We shall all be happy to see you fellows when you come down this way that is if we are here But I dont hardly think that you will get a thousand this time but you may. I think that I can not get a furlough any way for they have s[w?]ore of in them and will not give any more to any one but if I should happen to come I would be pretty apt to make you a call before I came back. The weather has been very pleasant here for some time we have not had a stormy day for four weeks. I am on guard today and have not time to write any more now so I will close hoping to hear from you soon and that this may find you well. Give my respects to all of the folks and write soon. This is all for this time

Yours truly
D. W. Clarke
2nd Vt. Battery