This letter was penciled by Chester Moses Hills (1840-1911), a private in Co. C, 25th Connecticut Infantry. He mustered into the service on 11 November 1862 and mustered out on 26 August 1863. At the time Chester wrote this letter, the 25th Connecticut (a 9 months unit) was attached to Grover’s Division, Department of the Gulf, and encamped at Baton Rouge. They would later participate in the assaults on Port Hudson before returning home.

Chester wrote the letter to his parents, Ashbel Hills (1819-1892) and Cynthia D. French (1818-1901) of Hockanum, East Hartford, Hartford county, Connecticut. Ashbel was a brick mason by trade; Chester a tinner.

In 1869, Chester married Josephine Martha Hutchinson (1836-1920).

TRANSCRIPTION
Addressed to Mr. Ashbel Hills, Hockanum, Hartford county, Connecticut
Postmarked New Orleans, LA

Camp Grover
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
February 25, 1863

Dear Father and Mother,

I received your letter yesterday and was right glad to hear from you. This is the second letter only that I have had from you. I thought it very strange that you did not write to me as I was as anxious to hear from you as you was to hear from me. I have wrote you five or six letters since we have been up besides those that I wrote to you down to New Orleans.

I am well and hearty as ever and hope you are the same. The boys are all well and send their respects to you. We have not been paid off as yet but expect to every day—so we live in hopes—so that I don’t think it would pay to send me any money as the letters get miscarried. As soon as we get get paid off, I shall send some money home by Adams Express Company as that will be the safest way, I guess. I have a ten dollar order for the State Bounty that I shall send with it. I have had it payable to Father so that all that he will have to do will be to endorse his name on the back of it. Then he can sell it to anybody he has a mind to, or send it to the one it is to be drawn on. I think it can be drawn on any of the banks at a discount or he may leave it till I get home just as he pleases.

We do not get any news here of any account. Uncle John is well and wrote to you about a week ago so that you will get that before you do this and mine that I wrote to you. I have wrote to you about every week. I don’t think of anything else to write now. I want to have you give my best respects to all enquiring friends. Give my love to Willie and Hattie and the same to Aunt Mary and grandmother. I [send] my love to you and Father and hope I can be home pretty soon again so that we can enjoy ourselves without having to write so far for it. The directions that I sent to you before are the same as the other boys send so that [illegible]. Dinner is ready now so goodbye till next time.

From your son, — Chester M. Hills