Dear Mother,

I received your letter today.  I was very glad to hear from you all.  I am well.  I am sorry that Gary is sick.  I hope he will be well soon.  I have not seen Uncle Charles. I did not know he was in  the  27th.  If I had, I  might have seen him.  They stayed her overnight in the yard  and have been in here very often.  I will find him soon if I have to run the guard.  There are two allowed passes  every day but I haven’t had a chance yet. 

I sent my money on the 23rd.  You will probably get it before this letter.  If you don’t, write and I will get it back.  I have a receipt and it is safe enough.  Apples are very scarce here.  They cost a great deal.  We have had two Thanksgivings here, Massachusetts and Maryland.  Some sausages would taste good with our salt pork.  We get the news daily from the South.  We don’t have a great deal of reading.  Once in a while, some folks send some.

We were ordered to Virginia.  Saturday we got already to start but the order was countermanded.  We don’t know whether we shall stay here much longer or not.  A new commander has been appointed for this post, General Foster.  We soon expect to go on the expedition but it is not certain.

I will not have a chance to get my likeness taken yet but I think I can in a few days.  I think the war will terminate soon.  If it don’t, send Father.  Why don’t he come and help.  I don’t think much more to write.  I will write the rest to the girls.  I should very much like to see you all and I hope soon, if we have good luck.  I send my love to you and all the rest.

Goodbye for this time.

From you son,

Henry Brown

Dear Electa,

I am very glad to hear from you.  It seems so good to hear from you all.  I am glad you are no worse.  I should have wrote my other letter before but I was waiting to know whether we were going to stay or not.  I should like to have a bite of your chidden pie to go along with my splendid soup.

You wanted me to write to show how we spend the time and what we eat.  Suppose we go on guard duty on Monday, our company at 9 AM.   We have three reliefs.  They go on for two hours a piece, making eight hours a piece.  The next day we have until 1 PM to clean our guns and rest.  Then one hour of knapsack  drill from 1 to 2, then battalion drill from 3 to half past 4.  Immediately after, dress parade.  Three roll calls a day.  The next day, morning drill from 10 to half past 11 and the rest as the same day as before.  Saturday, on guard again.  Saturday afternoon we have to clean up if not on guard.  Sunday morning is inspection.  The officers inspect everything and if  there is anything  we don’t have, we get it.  We go to church in the afternoon.  There is a very large organ in our pretty chapel.  It makes me think of home when I hear it.

We have coffee for breakfast and bread, salt hoss, pickled beef or fresh once in a while, or salt pork.  Sometimes potatoes or beans, water, coffee and rice.  We have sugar for coffee, vinegar, molasses, pepper and salt to season our vitals and milk for 8 cents a quart.  We have hard bread on Sunday.

I have pen and ink and plenty of paper and stamps.

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Pvt. Henry Brown, 21st Mass. Vol.,
Annapolis, MD, Dec. 2, 1861

I am bound to see Uncle Charles soon.  I would like to have a game of ball with the boys but I can’t yet.  It must be a very powerful company that  Charles Rodes has gone into.  Leonard Bates is in it.  I suppose when it is going to the seat of the War, I would like to try to give the enemy my old musket and bayonet.  Tell John Ativel that I don’t use tobacco nor whiskey.  When I left the pastor,  I went to Thompson Depot and traveled to Fisherville to catch the cars and went to Worcester and joined the regiment. and started south the same day.  Our two flank companies have Sharps rifles and  saber bayonets.

I thank you for writing so long a letter  I give my love to you. Goodbye for this time.

From your Brother,

Henry W. Brown

Dear Sister,

I must not forget Ada.  I am glad you wrote.   The verse you wrote was very pretty.  I should like to see the boys and and all  the rest of the neighbors.  We have a very good time here.  There is a dance once in a while. We have suttler but he asks a great deal for everything.

We have a very good hospital.  The doctor is a very good man.  He is very careful of all the sick.  There is two that have died of the fever.  There has none died of  smallpox in our regiment but several in other regiments.  There is someone dies in the general hospital most every day. The measles have gone through the regiment.

I don’t have no apples now.  The colonel has stopped all peddlers from coming here.  I guess I shall go out in  the city.  I shall go out on the 28th if I do.  

I don’t think of much else  to write.  I send my love to you and all the rest, so goodbye for this time.

From your Brother,