CIVIL WAR LETTER - 4th Vermont Infantry - Tough & Hardy at Alexandria, VA !

Description

Civil War Letter
Civil War letter written by Seth Bishop of the 4th Vermont Infantry from his regimental camp at Alexandria, Virginia.  Gives a short report and assures his sister that he is well - tough & hardy!.
Seth’s parents, Chauncey Bishop and Samantha Stearns
This Civil War soldier letter was written by Seth McKendree Bishop (1839-1879), the son of Chauncey Bishop (1801-1882) and Samantha Stearns (1803-1867) of Readsboro, Bennington county, Vermont. Seth was married to Susan E. Whitney (1846-1910) in 1864.
Seth enlisted in Co. I, 4th Vermont Infantry on 12 April 1862. He reenlisted on 28 March 1864 and was discharged for disability on 20 January 1865, never having fully recovered from the wound he sustained on 3 June 1864 in the Battle of Cold Harbor.
Seth returned to Readsboro after the war and took up farming but his health was ruined and he died of “pulmonary consumption” in 1879 at the age of 40. His wife, the former Harriet S. Hicks, collected a widow’s pension for his service for forty years after his death. They had one son named Ernie, born in 1869.
Most likely the Bishop family were Methodists. Seth’s middle name probably comes from William McKendree who was an early Bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The expression “going to meeting” is also often used which was an expression common among Methodists. Seth seems not to have been much of a practitioner of the family faith, however, as he mentions drinking whiskey—a drink forbidden by Methodists except for medicinal purposes.
TRANSCRIPTION
Camp at Alexandria, Va.
September 5th 1863
Absent Sister,
As I received your kind letter just now I thought that I would try and write a few lines in answer. I was very glad to hear that Olive was better and that she was nearly well.  I am tough and hearty and I had a fine time in New York and I would like to have stayed my time out there but we have got orders for the front again. But I don’t care for I think that it will be all right for we hain’t got but eight months longer to serve.
I can’t think of anything worth writing…only that I have got some pictures taken but they ain’t very good ones but then I will send it to you. Tell R____ that I can’t write to her this time for we have got to move in the morning with eight days rations so you may expect to hear from another [    ] soon and Old [    ]. I will close for this time. Give my respects to all. Goodnight all.
— Seth M. Bishop
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