Raycide Mosher Civil War Letters

[N.B. A photograph was enclosed in this letter and a portion of the image remained on the paper obstructing the writing]

Savannah, Ga. January 15th. 1865

Dear & Mother,

I Set down to write you a letter & let you now that I am well at presant & I hope thes fue lines will find you all well & engoying good helth. I was inhopes that I wood here from you be fore I wrote this letter, but I guess you did not get my letter I wrote to you the 18. of december Jest before we got Savannah. we are to work a fortifing the place throwing up brest work & I think we Shall Stay here till Spring. Savannah is a larg City it is dry Sandy level ground it is 18. miles from the Sea Cost Atlantick Oshion. boots Come up the Savannah River & bring in pervishines from new york. we did not have no truble in giting the place. left the Rebles left the most of them left for Charlston I think thay will Soon get to the end of the Road. We have our winter tents fixt up the winter four men in a tent the tent is made of plank .7. by 11 . four feet high. then the Rafters on & the dog tents on for the roof & we have a little fire place in the Side a door in one end & the bunks are made in the outher end one two bunks one a top of the other we Can live in them very well but they are very Smokey if we go one day with out washing we look black as a niger. the wether is Some Cold & windy but it dont frease much it is Some Sickley here we lost a Man out of our Compney he was beyred to day he hed a direahee that Run him down So weak that he died we loose a man out of the Reg= every fue days. pervision is Carse here but we get a nuf to eat Setch as it is hard tack & pork Coff & a fue benes to make Soop. thare is not much to by in the City. potatoes four dollars a bushel butter twelve Shillings a pound. I went down town one day & I thought I would have Some thing to eat So I bout a haf half a pound of butter for Six Shilings & bout five little biscuits ten Cents a pece & I Set down & ate them well buttered they tasted dredful good, but I do not by much. I get along very well with my Rashions. My helth is very good now for me. I have hed Some Coff but not much now My lungs feel better then they have for Some time. I did have quite a bad Coff but I got over it but I am not very Strong but I work Some I am on guard to day & to nite. two ours on & four off. but my post is a good wone guard ing Mules whare they are tide to the wagons I have a fire to Set by. but Some postes they Cant have a fire haft to walk the beet & keep warme the nite knit nights are Cold but the days are quite warme the work is not hard & whare we Stand guard one day we lay Still the next. but I hope the war will end this Spring for I do not like it but I expect I Shall haft to Stay my time out I dont make eney outher Calcultison. So I take the thing Cool as I Can hoping I may Come out top of the heep. thare is nothing like having good Courage. I dont now but what I would done better to went back to the Reer with them that was not able to March for I mite heve got a Chance to heve Come home fore Some of the boys was Sent to detroit. but I guess M it is better fore me here this winter then it would to detroit. Mc.Master is Our luetenant James Harrington our ordly Sargent a first Rate fellow. I Should never heve under takon to March through with the Reg= if I hed not thought if better for my helth in the South part of Georgia. for it is not So Cold wether here as it is in the north part. but I Started with the Regment knapsack on my back & the flag in my hand I marched one day & then took my blanket & over Coat Ruber tent Cloth out of my knapsack throud the knapsack away Made a Role of them & Kept a long fore one More day then I be gun to lag be hind withe the wagon train & finely I Could not keep up with them & then Capton Williamson took the Colurs & gave them to Some one that was able to keep in the Ranks. & the therd day I Could not keep oup with the wagon train & they would not Cerry my blankit for they ware hevy loaded So on they and I Set down be Side of the Rode & lots of other troups past by & when I got Rested I up & poked a long I kept traviling along be hing of our Regment More then five Miles I finley Come on to a old Camp ground whare thare hed ben a Reigment Camped the nite be for & thare was Some Mules that hed ben worne out & turned loose & I looked over tho ground & found some Straps [ ] bridled the best one of the mules & put on the blanksets & got on & Road along up with the Regment So I Road all the way through we was .26. days on the Road. I do not think we will be pade off before the first of March. Father you Most take good Care of the Sheep & keep every one & if I live to Come home I will have a good flock. fore they will be a grate helpe to me. Speshely if I Shood not Come out of the Army all Rite. & if I Should not live to Come home they will be a benefite to you. tell Mr. Kindell he to Save that 20. acers of land for me & I will by it of him. Mother [ ] Most write as Soon as you get this letter & write all of the news & let me now how you are a giting along & how much you owe. [ ] Most excuse me fore this time & I will try to do better next time. tell Clarrisa to write & Marah. Ambroes can tell them what to write. Ezra you Most be a good boy & George must be [ ] boy & not Sware nor quorel withe Ezra. So good by to you all fore this time.

Raycide Mosher. Co. A. 1st Mich= Eng= & Mecn Savannah, Georgia.

yours dear parents.

Father eate tow two or three fride Cakes for me will you next bach