Acton Memorial Library Civil War Archives

Undated Letter [April or early May 1861] from Levi Robbins to his mother Mrs. Benjamin Robbins

(Acton Memorial Library archives 2008.4.1.)

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Washington D.C. 6th Reig Comp. E.

Dear Mother I wrote you last night but
as the paper cost nothing nor the postage
and nothing to do we drill twice a day
generaly but some days we don’t do a thing the
milatory is coming here evry day it is a bout the
same here as in July thare it is quite plesent here
The wind blows cool we read and play cards
some Concord boys came here to day I heard that
some of S Acton boys were coming here to join
our camp thare is as many as six thousand
troops in this building and it don’t seam as
many as one in those little building North
you write all a bout every body and every thing
tell S F Hosmer to write and Simon and
Mrs Harris and the boys I shall here
from Acton every day now if that place
was out here I could fix it gest as well as to
do nothing if you want any mony you can borrow
it I gess now if I don’t happen to come back you
keep every thing that belongs to me when we
come out I see peach trees in the blossom The
boys are building a dam in the canal to swim

[p.2]
in Gray is coming to help take care of the sick
and wounded if thare is any but thare is not mutch
danger of that only by acident thare was one man
got his foot bloan to becies so that the Segeon
had to cut it of he had jest got here they march through
Mary land with loaded arms and when they get
here they stact arms and one stac fell down
and one gun went of[f] and the ball past through
his foot one day when our Reig went out to drill
one man fell down and his gun went of and the ball
passed through his Capt coat sleve but did not
hurt him if thare is not some words spelt wrong then
I don’t know when we come home I guess we shall come
by warter write a bout Charley and Sarah and
Mrs Holden folks but don’t you let any see my
letters for the spelling is bad and I know it
I was sorrow that co[u]ld not have had more time to
settle up my business but thay must wate until I come
home the band is coming the drums beat here most all
the time I suppose that you heard a bout our band they
have gonn home I beleave if we could had our say thay
woul come with us if it had killed all the devels in Boltomore
I suppose that you think that I am home sick if I write
so long letter but I am not it is because I don’t have any
thing to do we carnt go out of the yard with out a pass

[p.3]
but the house has got every thing in it it is as many as ten
flite of stares from seller to attic we mes in the seller
it is litted by gas all the time there is more room
in the seller than thare is on Acton common ther are
to wings to this building the old town house is as
small to them as that little Wright house is to that it is all
marble the sides are as much as six feet thick it seams
as thou I was [illegible] out they don’t a lough us but two
meals a day but I get lunch I did not eat much when I
got out her but now I can eat as much as two men can
lift I don’t know as I can think of anough to fill this but
I will try some times I think that I should like to be in
Acton so to ride with the colt but I like to say here
perfectly well I am glad that we left the cowards at
home for thay would have been more trouble in
Baltamore than good I dont believe that thare was a
man on our Comp but would fight firs rate we were
orderd to keep our guns in our hands ready to get
out of the cars in a mints notice I expected we should
have to get out and fight when a man is in such
a place as that he dont seam to mind it much
not so much as though he was at home talking a
bout it if you could see my head you would think it
was small had my hair cut twice in one day it is
cut close to my head I had it cut close so that iff

[p.4]
was kilt they could not scalp me we were caled
up two night and marched down in to herd
quarters and had powder and balls given us
I had forty ball cartrages geven us and then
we went back and laid down with uniforms all on
the Cornel expected an attact that night this war
business is diferrent than goin to muster but I like it a
bout as well The Conf boys sing and dance and play
jest the same thay was sining all the way out here
This room is gest the thing the best carpet and table and
writing desk and evry thing is as handy as a pockit in a
shirt the warter comed in to the sink that is marble
I have gest got back from supper and then we had to go to
drill and since then thare has been a nother Reig [illegible]
come thay were volunteers thay looked like Concord fight
thay wore all kinds hats caps and had thare blankets
and tin cans were hung on to them since I wrote
the firs of this Fay Cambel and Gilman Hosmer
have come and Concord Comp I should like
to se little Charley I can see him running
a round and say, Unkle Levi now take good
care of him and dont whip him when you can
git a long without I dont think of any thing
more to write now I guess I shall write again to
morrow now dont worry a bout me for I am not sorry
I come yet nor have not been now take good care
yourself and give my love to all that in quire
thare is so much talking that I carnt write
now good bye kiss little Charles for me
and take one for your self tell Charley
to write to me from Levi Robbins
Direct
Washington D.C..
Comp E 6th Reig