Citation: Shoemaker Letters, trans. Joshua R. Brown. From Heritage Language Corpora. http://www.heritagelanguagecorpora.org/



Camp Fairview Virginia / 65
February 4th

Deare Brother,
I set down to trop A few lines to you to  inform you by this lines that we ar all well at Prasent time Hoping this letter ma find you and your Family in the same state of good helth.
Futher I Recevit a latter from you yesterday and I was very glad to hare from you and from home.  And futher I recevit 22 Psttastam I am verry glat for dam.
Futher I hope tham Post stam will last me tilll the terwvel wore is over. then I by am by salf.  But if the wore dont gib setelt till next spring than you hafe to sent me some more
Futher you roade me about they Box from Denyel D. Long from that rost Checkent me and Banjamin was very glad for that rost you can tell Dan D. Long that his rost last yus tow Days till we god don Wis Eighten And Futher I was very glad for tham sigarse we was smoking like gentelman like Old Abraham Lincol in his Capatal in Washington.  The smoking is blate out now the sigars ar all.
That big sickare in our Box we ditent no what to Do with her. we tuck tha nife out the Pocket and cut her to tow Peases. and smokt her at once. [?] was going like a jemla like the best jemla in Verginia and that is trow.
And Futher I ventent ceare if we hat such a Box every weeake like this was.
I Beleve we would lick the Rabbel bater than so it would make more sponk in the soldiers than the Crackars do whod du you sink A bout it H.I. S.
I tell you what would be a Crade deal Better if we wud have a Barl of Wiskky every wike that would make more sponk than annasink als than we would Catch the Correals better than so ha ha ha for the union

Futher you now old Mosby he is wondit in the site that old Bocker I wish I cout catch him or see him I sun would dras his wound.  I woud sun be don with his wound. I be Dam shure that he woutent Cill a nother yenkey.  Nor sor Ree Bedarnt. Huro Huro the union Down with the Draters and ab with the
Flack.
So good by No mor for this time.  Wright sun Back and Dond fargit it.
So Much from your Brother
William H. Shoemaker

From Longswamp
Tounship Berks County
State of Pennsylvania

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Camp Fairview Virginia
February 4, 1865

Dear Brother,

I sit down to drop a few lines to inform you that we are all well at present. I hope this letter finds you and your family in the same state of health. Further, I received a letter from you yesterday and I was very glad to hear from you and from home. And further, I received 22 postage stamps and I am very glad for them.

Further, I hope that the stamps will last me until the terrible war is over, because I am by myself. But if the war isn’t settled until next spring then you have to send me more.

Further, you wrote to me about the box from Daniel Delong that contained roast chicken. Benjamin and I were very glad for the roast and you can tell Dan Delong that his roast lasted only two days until we finished eating it. And further, I was very glad for those cigars. We were smoking like gentlemen, like Old Abraham Lincoln in his Capital in Washington. The smoke is over now that the cigars are gone.

We didn’t know what to do with the big cigar in our box. We cut it into two pieces and smoked it at once. It was going like a ‘jemla’ [?] like the best jemla in Virginia and that is true.

And further, I wouldn’t care if we had such a box every week. I believe we would lick the rebels better and put more spunk in the soldiers than the crackers do. Would you think about it H.I.S.?

I tell you, it would be a great deal better if we would have a barrel of whisky every week that would make more spunk than anything that we would catch the rebels better then. So hurrah for the union.

Further, you now Old Mosby --- he is wounded on his side. That old bugger, I wish I could catch him or see him. I’d dress his wound. I would soon be done with his wound. I’ll be damn sure that he wouldn’t kill another yankee. No siree bedarnt. Hurrah hurrah the union. Down with the traitors and up with the flag.

So good bye. No more for this time. Right back soon and don’t forget it.

So much from your brother
William H. Shoemaker

From Longswamp
Township Berks County
State of Pennsylvania