MMS 1857 - Conrad Cramer Papers

Conrad Cramer Correspondence - 1865

May 18, 1865

Evening Dispatch, 5 o'clock p.m.
May 18th/65

I just returned from dress parad and I will now endeaver to finish my letter. Just at this present time it is getting very dark and a heavy storm acoming up and frem the looks we will have quite a lot of rain which is very much needed just at this time as the ground is very dry. There has not anything of importance transpired during the day of any consequence. Various rumors are in circulation about us going home some day that the 1st A.C. Gen'rl Hancock is comeing to relieve us but whether it is true or not I can not tell. There was an order read that all Volunteer officers that are back from their commands to be honorably discharged from the U.S. Sirvice and the officers are to make out descriptive rolls for all their men that are back in the hosp'tls so they can be discharged & there is quite a talk about going to Mexico I see in the New York Herald we have lots of men here if they were out of the Sirvice they would go on short notice. The French have no bisiness on this side of the ocean and they must be drove out again. I see that it is altogether a private affair, the Government has nothing to do with it. Mexico will pay the men for their trouble.

The peach crop in this section of the country is a going to be very plentiful. The trees are now bending with their loads of fruit. The apples are not so plenty as they have not much trees planted. Well I must stop writing as it is getting dark and raining fast.

You must not stop writing because the papers say that the war is over and because some of the boys write home that they expect to return home soon as they just get it from rumers that are daily circulated through the camp. I will let you know in time when to stop writing. We may stay two months yet there is no telling.

Salisbury is a small town of about three thousand inhabitants and is the place where the rebels starved and froze to death so many of our men that they had prisoners here. At one place they dug out after digging under the ground for about six rods and at one place they dug under the ground a bout 10 feet deep in order to dig under a ditch about four or five feet deep. I think some forty or fifty succeeded in getting out.

But I must stop writing for this time. My love to all my brothers and sisters. I am your affectionate son,

Conrad Cramer

Write soon and oblige
Direct as before

Give my love to all enquiring friends, etc.
C. Cramer

To his father and mother

Write soon if you please and direct as before, etc.

Conrad Cramer

[in pencil in corner and edges]

May 19th/65

This morning the mail will go out. We did have some rain last night and it is raining now. Things look fresh once more. The boys are all well that are here with us. This place is a healthy one I think at any rate.

If you have a good chance you may buy me a sucking colt if you can keep it.

I will send a little Confed as we call it to the girls. I want them to take care of it.

June 8, 1865

Train Guard's
Salisbury North Carolina
June 8th/65

Dear Parents,

It is with great pleasure that I seat myself in order to writ you a few lines in answer to yours which came to hand this day dated the 31st of past month and was glad to hear from you and your good health. I am well at present hoping these few lines will find you enjoy the same great blessing. I am at present detailed at Div. Head Qrs as train guard. We run on a railroad 80 miles out toward Tenn. We have a fine thing of it. I have been detailed about two weeks by order of Brig. Gen'l. Cooper. We have plenty to eat and not much to do. We have a good house to stay in and we have two men to cook for nineteen. There is a great deal of talk about comeing home soon among the boys.

O, I wish you could be here and eat some of the nice ripe cherries they have here. I had all that I could eat uptown to a Mrs. Correll where I was invited to a supper a night or two ago. The wheat is turning ripe but it is very poor all over the country. The rust has got into it. I also saw ripe apples.

The idea it seems to be that we will start toward home the first of next week, but I will take some time yet before we get home. I was sorry to hear about Jacob cutting his toe of[f] but it is no leg or arm. I will give you a small list of prices what things cost here on in the country
eggs 6 to 10 cts
Butter 20 " 25 "
Onions 10 " 15 for lg
New potatoes at the rate of one dollar per bushel

I congratulate Wm. Vandersall for his young daughter hoping he may have good luck in raising her and some more besides. I do not know that it is of any use to write much. I hope it will not be long until I can talk to you with out using the pen. So I will say no more then rest easy a few more days and I expect to be at home.

From your son Conrad Cramer

Well Catharine I feel glad to think that you have not forgot me though nearly three years apart. I do not doubt that meny times you expected to hear that your brother fell in battle but the Good Lord has saw fit to spare his life thus far and I hope he will spare it stall longer I do not know but this will will be about the last letter I will before I return home but so I will close fer the present.

From your dear
Conrad Cramer
To his sister Catharine
So good bye