R. Alonzo Cady Civil War Letter Batch # 8 Undated Drunkenness & Punishment
Well Little One here goes on this sheet but as to filling it as full as you do your letters I can’t think of enough to do it. There must be one of my letters lost on the road somewhere for I received the one you spoke of with the tobacco and double postage and I answered it too. Perhaps it will turn up some time. If not it is not of much consequence. Only I think I answered a lot of questions in that one, relating to our household furniture. Never mind you will hear from me quite as often now that Mother is with you.
That was rather a funny time that John & Van Slater & their comrades had I should judge. And all for drinking whiskey. I tell you little Sis. I see enough here on the heights to sicken me almost every day. Yesterday two of Co. I were walking on a sentry beat with a straight jacket on and a sentry over them with loaded musket with bayonet fixed. Perhaps you will want to know what we call a straight jacket. Nothing more nor less than a pork barrel with one head out and a hole the size of a man’s head cut in the other
head of the barrel. After this “jacket” is put on a man all you can see of him is his head & legs. It put me in mind of some pictures I drew long time ago of the walking beer barrel. Another way to punish fractions soldiers is to hand cuff them and make them stand on a barrel (set up on end) in the camp where everyone who comes will not fail to see them. How would you like to see your soldier Brother in such a fix, not very well I reckon. Neither would I like to have you see me so, no I will let whiskey alone till I am a citizen once more. Well Sister I must bring this scribbling to a close. My love and lots of kisses to you, Mother & the little ones.
Tell Mother not to worry about her Soldier boy for he is long well enough & will soon be home to cheer her with his presence.
Good bye my darling & write soon
From Lon to Juty
R. Alonzo Cady Civil War Letter Undated “Thoughts of Home”
Well Juty Darling I have filled one sheet and have written scarcely anything that will interest you but it will have to do, for I am not qualified to write a sensible letter.
I don’t want you to worry any more about my cough for I assure you if I thought it dangerous or even bad I should have written it to you. All there was about it was simply this “very inconvenient” & nothing more. And as for trials little or great I have none, no not one, only my longing to see my beloved ones and hear their soft whispers of love, & those are trials enough. Although I will not let them weigh down my spirits.
The Housewife looks first rate & I don’t know as there is any one of the articles lacking. I must thank you (at this late hour) for the darning yarn which you sent some time ago in a letter. Please excuse my forgetfulness. Yes I did receive some little slips of paper in a letter and I assumed whose they were but I supposed you knew all about it & there was one in this last letter with some marks on it. I could barely make out the letters HOWE.
Tell the little girls that Uncle Loney thanks them for their letters and also for their kisses & longs for the time to come when he can take them on his knee & tell them something about this cruel war. Tell them when they ask you when Uncle is coming home that when the Rebels are whipped I hope to see them.
I really wish Cousin Emily would write to me as I would like to correspond with some one of my Lady cousins. Please tell her (when you write again ) how very anxious I am to receive the long promised missive & that I thank her for the love & also to say to her for me when she gets another beau not to defer the nuptials so long, for five years I think is a long time to woo a maiden.
I hope & trust that Hod & Mate may come to a reconciliation for it would be very awkward if I should come home for me to visit you without taking her & the children with me. But we are all quick tempered & liable to mistakes. I hope she will answer your letter soon.
Well Darling I will have to bring this to a close. I believe I have answered all the questions. If not please say so & I will next time. My love & kisses to you & the girls & my specks to Hod. Good by my darling. Write soon. Lon to Juty
R. Alonzo Cady Undated Letter “Repayment of Kindness
Dear Juty,
I must relate a little incident. The Lieut. Col. Of our Regt. is named
Murray. Well while the two battalions lay in Baltimore there chanced to be sent there a Reb. Col. Who was wounded and a prisoner & Col Murray took care of him till he got well & the Reb.promised him (Col. Murray) if it was ever in his power he would repay him for his kindness and not long after the reb was exchanged. Well when our 1st Batt. went out on infantry Col. M commanded them & was wounded taken prisoner & who should take care of him but this same Reb. Col Murray has since been exchanged and is now in the Ferry. And when these Reb. officers were brought in there was a Col who inquired for
Lieut.. Col. Murray of the 5th NY Art. He was taken in down town and he turned out to be the same Col. That Murray had taken care of in Baltimore and who had taken care of Col. Murray out here in the valley. What do you think of that?
Col. M. was here to the prison to see the Reb today.
Goodbye God bless my sister.
Alonzo