RARE 1861 Civil War Soldier Letter: Camp Life GAMBLING Port Royal SOUTH CAROLINA

Description

Port Royal, South Carolina Civil War Letter from a Union Soldier Describing Camp Life Including Payday Gambling
Posted from Camp White, Port Royal, South Carolina, 1861
Four-page letter on illustrated stationery. Illustration shows a picture of the Capitol under construction and is captioned, "The House that Uncle Sam Built." Legible. Light wear and soiling. The closing page of the letter is missing. A full typed transcription is also included with the listing (see pic).  This letter to the author's sister begins with a description about maintaining uniforms and equipment: "I have just been tailoring on my drawers, patching, etc. We have to do most anything Some will be pretty good at such work by the time we get home. We have to alter our clothing for 'tis very seldom we get a fit. Shepard (my chum) and I was told by the Orderly that the Capt. Said we always looked the best in the company, our clothes seem to fit us, our Sabre and brass work always was bright and clean. Well, 'tis considerable to say among 100 men, but we have to work to do it." And, it continues with an explanation of soldierly brotherhood:"Shep does not writ any letters so he has some spare time. In fact, I have written some 3 or 4 for him to some of his friends not that he can't write but it is disagreeable to him and he says he can't talk nonsense as I do, pretty good credit for me to be made a fool, ha! Well, 'tis all right we use everything in common; sometimes he don't happen to be so hungry and I find a place for a piece of his bread. And then the reverse. 'Who's got a piece of bread' is the cry among the tents crew at supper, sometimes, but breakfast comes hardest." Most interesting is the author's discussion of payday gambling: "The fellows are laying around; some 4 or 5 are about a box for a table playing Bluff [an early name for Poker] a great game about the time we are paid off. Someone says, 'I am out of it; ' meaning he gives up playing. 'I am 90 cents out' So it goes. One will be in today and another tomorrow. Some lose all their pay, others double it. Well, Perhaps as Albert always said, somebody once worked in the Mill and perhaps before they die, the may again. If she believes in the Bible and reads it, she will find 'Riches take to themselves wings and fly away' I think I have read that somewhere.
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