Manley Stacey Civil War Letters

Camp Pomeroy
Co D 111th Regt
Dec 26th 1862

Dear Father

I received your note of the 23d, to night, & will reply immediately. We have got neither of the Trunks, yet & are wondering what in the world is the matter. We are afraid Budlong will dissappointed us. We had got our mouths all Fixed for the Dinner.

In regards to our dividing the Things, they are common property. We have no trouble, all goes off well.  Aleck is in with us, so now we have five in the Tent. It is just the same, as Common property.

I did not know, that I wrote gloomy letters, I am sure, I feel well enough. You would think so if you could see us here. Just as soon as I get my papers I have hundreds of chances, to lend them. After I read them, that is the last I see of them. I seldom get any Daily Papers here they cost 5 cts, & I cant afford that.

You ask me the price of things here. Molasses 20cts a qt Sugar 20cts, a Lb, Oysters 20cts a Pint, Pres 12cts a piece & very poor at that. Candles 4 cts a piece. In short every thing is awful dear. For instance Cheese 25cts a lb. Our Sutler is making his fortune. If he does not come down, a little The boys will tear down his Tent. You can buy almost every thing you want at Alexandria, but you cant get there every day. There is a great deal of Business done there, of course a great deal of it is Government.

You need not think there will be any trouble about dividing the things in the Trunk. We shall get along with that. The boys divide every thing. Al is reading now what he is going to have from home. Al got a letter from home brought by Mr Budlong, he sent it from Washington.

the 4th Del 115 NY, left this AM for Fortress Monroe.

We got from them a splendid little Stove, boxes & Cupboards & have got our Tent fixed up Splendid. I would give a Great deal, if Mother & You could look in now. H Warren laying behind me in the Bunk, writing a letter, Barney reading a Paper. Albert H thinking of the Trunk, Aleck laying in the Bunk, sick with a head ache. It looks just like a Family Circle. everything goes off smooth. We have got the most convient [sic] House in the Row. We are Bragging a good deal over the Two Trunks. I shall get a pass for Washington, then I can bring up the Trunk. The way we arrange it here, one gets up one morning & lights up the Fire, washes the Dishes, sweeps the room & the next day, some one else.

Appearances are very favorable for our staying here, we are doing no Drilling, nothing but Fatique Duty. The Fight with Pickets, I spoke about in my last was this. We have two lines of Cavalry Pickets, about a mile apart, The outer ones were driven in & the inner ones fired into them. We have no Picket Duty to do now

Love to all

Manley