1863 Mar 26
Camps Gordon
Fort Mercer
March 26, 1863
Mrs. N. J. Harden
My dear companion,
I seat myself to drop you a few lines which leaves me well at this time, hoping these lines may reach and find you all well. I have no news to write of much importance.
I believe there will be a fight here in the course of a week or ten days. This is my opinion. Some of our Regiment are under marching orders now. All the preparations and movements of our officers and troops point to an early attack on the city.
I received the box of provision which you sent to me and was glad to get it. The victuals were so much nicer than we have here. Anything in the way of cooking nice is a stranger to us. We can eat anything when we get hungry.
Dear Jane, I do not want any clothes yet. My clothes are very good yet, though I may need some in the summer.
I wish I was there to go with you down to Pa’s. I want to see Ma and all the rest of them so bad - and Granny tell her I want to see her very bad - and your Pa and Ma and all the rest of the family and connection, but I cannot tell when I will come home. If I can get a furlough, I will come soon, but I have to wait other people’s time.
I got the last letter you wrote me after waiting 18 days for it. I thought I was never going to get another letter from you, but it came at last, and relieved me of much suspense.
I have just come in from drilling my squad on the cannon. I have about fifteen men under my care to drill on the artillery. We will have to go on battalion drill soon.
We have not been called out on that expedition yet. I think if we could get off, I could work the thing so as to get a furlough to come home.
Dear Jane, Mrs. Orear and Benson speak of coming with Tom Cook down here and if they come, you can come with them, if you feel like it. Mr. Orear said he was going to write to his wife to come, if she found it so she could. So, you can keep money enough to pay your expenses and come with her, if she comes. I would be very glad to see you down here although it is a rough place here.
I will stop writing until tomorrow as I expect to send this letter by N. B. Cleveland to Milner, and he will start Saturday.
March 27.
I will finish my letter today. Mr. Orear said he was going to send his wife word that if you came, for her to come with you, instead of the way above written. So, I will leave the thing just with you to act as you feel disposed.
I bought some rice to send to you in that box, but the authorities at Savannah will not let any provision leave the city at all, so I cannot get to send it. I will send the box as soon as I can.
W spilt the ink here. W. H. H.
Tobacco is worth ten dollars per pound! In Savannah, paper is three dollars a quire. Bacon: seventy-five cents per pound. Sugar: fifty cents. Butter: $1.50 per pound. Syrup: three dollars per gallon. Chickens: from seventy-five cents to one dollar apiece. Beef: forty cents per pound. Flour: twenty dollars per hundred pounds. Corn: three dollars per bushel.
So, I will close.
Write soon.
I remain your husband until death.
W. H. Harden
March 28.
I am still well and have to go out to do my guard duty. I intend to come home as soon as I can.
Farewell.
W. H. H.