Transcription
LaFourche Crossing, La
Jan. 12th 1865
F J. Fischer Esq.-
Dear Fred. – When I arrived here on Christmas Day from the North I found your letter of Oct. the 8th awaiting my arrival. You must excuse my tardiness in writing. At the time your letter was written we were out on the broad Atlantic Steaming for New York. You perhaps remember that when you left I was expecting a furlough. It came at length. I left here on the 3rd of October and sailed from New Orleans for New York the 5th on the U.S. Steamer Cahawba. We had a pleasant trip – made the run through to New York in 8 days, stopping at Fortress Monroe on our way.
We had only one day of rough weather. The vessel was not crowded, only about one hundred furloughed soldiers aboard. The officers were kind and obliging and everything about the trip was much more pleasant than trailing on the River. We arrived at New York on the 18th. I stopped there at the Soldier’s Home something more than a day before starting for my brother in law’s in Easton Conn. I was not well enough then to look around the City much, but managed to ride down Broadway and spend a few hours in Barnum’s.—I was most interested in those two pieces- The dying scene of ‘Don Carlos’ of Spain, and the one representing the “Maid of Saragossa” and her attendants.
I left the City on the evening of the 14th on the New Haven R.R.-- laid over during the night at Hartford – on the next day I arrived at my Sister’s at her home among the rocky hills of old Windham Co. in the neighborhood of Gen. Putnam’s farm and the famous wolf den.
I had a very pleasant sojourn among the grandmothers and good old fashioned people of that region. I left there about the middle of Nov. taking Steamer at New London in the evening and arriving at New York the next morning. This time I stopped at the New England Soldier’s Home on Broadway, just below the Park.—During the day I explored Wall St. and Fifth Avenue some and visited some of the Newspaper offices near the Park – that evening I started for the West via N. E. & Erie R.R. came through Buffalo and Canada – stopped in Michigan a few days – and arrived at Chicago about the 24th of Nov. Was out to Wheaton and in Chicago during the first week in Dec.
Now I am back here again in the Sunny South, about as well as ever and ready for two more years of Service.
We are having beautiful weather, clear, warm and pleasant days – occasionally a frosty night. The boys are all well with the exception of John Porter and Billy Biggs. They are down at the Hospital but not very sick.
The Capt.’s family arrived from the North just before the New Years. Mrs. Gill’s Sister, Miss Minnie Whitford came with her. The Capt. Has fitted up the house on the Vick’s place and moved into it. Mrs. Gill is teaching a school for the colored children in part of the house. The young lady (Miss Minnie) intends to teach, also but she is quite unwell just now. The Chaplain and Mr. Fisk the school Agent, lives here with us. The Colored School here at the Xing is progressing favorably. The school marm has learned them to sing some and they make things get when they sing “Rally around the flag, Boys” and the famous John Brown song. It is probable that we will remain here until Spring though we have some rumors of moving. ----- I do not know but what you are at Bloomington but I will send this to Cottage Hill – I will now have a supply of Photographs and will send you one. – As I have filled my sheet I will close. Hoping to hear from you soon.
Yours ______________
Lucius Rogers
