Harry Stewart
Photo Courtesy of the Thompson Family.
Dearest Mother,
The mail leaves today and I have very little time to write.
The papers we receive tells of the victory at Corin, the siege of
Yorktown, etc. and we are all glad to hear of it. Today is a
beautiful day, sun is as warm as July in Medford and sand why this
place is worse than Jersey. Tell Hennie to write for I have so
much to do and the mails are so irregular that I suppose it will be
sometime before you hear from me. Our chaplain is with us but he
has several failings. I've never been to hear him and never will
for he is a hypocrite. Drinks rum, preaches a good deal when he is
about half drunk and during the time when he should be trying to do
the men good he is poking his nose into regimental affairs so as to
create a disturbance for he is a great tattler and as I told him
yesterday, a fool and a liar. For I have been in a church and read
the bible too much to believe anything anybody tells me. Very few
of the men will listen to him and he will be kicked out of the
regiment very soon. Give my love to all. You will hear from me in
every mail. So if it is sometimes long don't blame me. We will be
paid about the 5th of May again when I will send you as much as I
can. I got nothing for extra duty under General Hatch. I do the
work others get the pay and praise. I must stop. Write. Love to
all, sisters in particular.
And believe me,
Headquarters
2nd Maryland Regiment
Camp Opposite Newbern
April 17, 1862
your loving son Harry.
Direct Harry H. Stewart
c/o Colonel John Sommer
2nd Maryland Regiment
Burnside's Coast Division
Newbern, North Carolina
