Three Letters Home from Chapin?s Fa

Three Letters Home from Chapin’s Farm
during the War of the Great rebellion

                  Oliver Perrin Dudley was 14
when he lied about his age
and joined Company G of the
9th Maine Regiment of Volunteers.
Some spelling and phrases are his.

                  October 15, 1864

Dear Mother,

I take my pen in hand
to let you know I am well
I hope these lines
find you the same

We started from Portland
two weeks yesterday
and I gave Winwork
a hundred dollars
the day I started from Portland
I toll him to give it to you
and to take care of my notes
I toll him to give it to you

The rebels fired a bum shell
within 15 rods of us last night
and it bust
but it lain no hurt

Write as soon as you get this

                  December 22, 1864

Dear Mother,

I sit myself down
to write you a few lines.
I received your letter
and was glad.

I was taken sick 5 days ago,
but am better now.
I am weak.

This man was shot,
he was from New York.
I do not know his name.

Thare has been 40 deserted
out of this regiment
since I got here.
Thare was five more
shot here yesterday,
I did not know them.

They all fell
at the command Fire,
and all died but one.
He was fired at
the sechammed time.

While I was writing this letter,
I was cold out on battalion drill
and it was so cold that the Cornel
chilled his fingers,
then he ordered us
to come back in.

You wanted to know
which peas of cloth
I thought prettiest.
I think thare is not enny difference.
Tell Augusta,
when she gets on her new dress,
not to be afraid.

We have another in our company
and he will eat as much as a pig.
His name is Thomas,
and the cook calls him
his pig.

It is rather cold now
but ever thing is going
along verry well.
I don’t think of enny more to write now.
Excuse the bad writing,
for I have an awful place to write.

                  January 17, 1865

Dear Mother,

I take my pen in hand
to let you know I was glad
to hear from you some days ago,
but sorry you had sore arms.

I got them gloves a faughtnit ago
and was glad to get them.
I was cold for the past month,
but it some better now.

The report is that Fort Fisher is taken
by the fleet that went from here.

The rebels are deserting
into our lines verry fast.
Thare is from three to six ever day.
They say they are sick of this war,
they want peas as bad as wee.
They say they are tired
and sick of this war,
and they will not fight
enny longer.

You wanted to know
if I was home sick.
No I am not home sick.
I am some better than I was.

Thare is quite a lot of measles
in the regiment.
JW Brown and William Small
and David Small
came down here with us.

They used to live
where we used to live.
They have all gone to the hospital now
and I do not think
they will live there enny longer.

I want you to write me a letter
and tell me when you sent my box,
and tell me what you put in it.
Write about father,
the children.

I don’t think
of enny more to write now.
Write as soon as you get this.

                        Oliver