Merritt L. Pierce, 1st New York Engineers, Letter 10 Feb. 1865, Jones Landing Va

Description

Merritt L. Pierce, Company "L", 1st New York Engineers, Letter home to his parents, 4 pages, 10 February 1865, from "Camp Near Jones Landing," Pierce writes about bridge building, going to a religious sermon, quitting tobacco and how the rebel prisoners are looking more ragged, in part:
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The 25 cents came all right... I am well and am enjoying myself as well as possible under my present circumstances.  I have been on drill today with some 20 others of the Company.  We are nearly through with the bridge and I don't know what we shall do next or where we shall go.  There is some talk of building a dock near the bridge, if they do we shall stay here some time but I hope we shall leave here soon for I don't like to stay where there is so many together.... I went to a meeting last night (near Jones Landing), heard a good sermon.  It made me think of home some.  I wish you could hear the colored people talk in meeting, it is very interesting indeed... I went to the meeting in company with a young man by the name of Whitney, he is from St. Lawrence County, he wishes me to go out there and buy a farm near him... Well I must tell you that I have quit chewing or smoking tobacco.  I found that I was forming a habit, besides being a damage to my health.... Well you seem to think my picture looks quite like myself, I am glad you think so.... it will soon be Spring and the birds will sing pleasant songs (look on the bright side).  There are plenty of crows and turkey buzzards here.  I saw a boat load of prisoners from Richmond last Sabbath.  There were 1100 of them and they looked as if they had not long to stay.  They were the most disconsolable looking fellows I ever saw.  Some of them dressed in gray, some in blue, all were very ragged.  Some of them had their clothes packed with old socks....
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In very good condition, small separations at the folds and staining especially on the last page.
Merritt L. Pierce joined the 1st New York Engineers out of happenstance when he went to New York City hoping to enter the U.S. Navy.  He was from northern New York state and ended up joining the 1st New York Engineers on 31 August 1864, enlisting in Company "L" along with other friends from his hometown.  He served with the regiment for the rest of the war in Virginia during the Petersburg and Appomattox Campaigns.  In his letters home he mentions other members of his company including Almon C. Emery, John Hunter and William Beckwith.  He generally wrote lengthy letters with good penmanship and spelling.