Chapman, 6 November 1864

Battery Anderson
Bermuda lines, Virginia
November 6th 1864

Dolly,

Well here I am as usual hard at it, trying to pen few lines to my little pet and I do dearly love to write to you for I know that you like to ready my letters for nothing in the world pleases me so much as a letter from you, my pet. But I guess that you could please me better if I was at home for I would like to get in them arms of yours for when I am there, I am happy and the happiest moments that I have now is to lay when everything is still and think of the happy times that is past and hope for the time when this war will end so that we can be again united. I have got your photograph put up in the back side of the bed and I can let dow the curtain and look at it asa long as I like but it makes me feel homesick sometimes so I have to put out the light and go to sleep.

November 8th 1864

Dear Mat, your kind letter of the 3rd came to hand yesterday and as I thought that I was to be on guard today, I would not answer it till now. I am very glad that you are well for I am in good health. I will try soon to find a correspondent for Mat Clark but I can’t now for I have got the election to think of for this is election day—not in the army for it was over here some time ago—but at home is what I want to know about. And I wish, pet, that you would let me know how Montville foes and how Connecticut goes in particular for I am in hopes it will go for Little Mac. But it is all over now—either Lincoln is reelected or Mac is and I hope the latter for I don’t want to stay out here two years more. And I think that if Old Abe is reelected, I had better enlist in the regular army for they are giving eighteen hundred dollars to men to enlist in the regulars for five years. Don’t you think that I had better go in once more?

Oh, I forgot that have got a bad scar on my leg and they won’t have me if I want them to. But never mind for I ain’t gone in yet and that ain’t all for I ain’t a going in. I feel kind of bad for I think that Old Abe will be reelected but I hope not.

Give my love to Mother and the girls and tell Mary to write to me if she wants me to write to her. I will now close with my love to my little pet wife.

Ever your affectionate husband, — C. A. Chapman

Co. D, 1st C. V. A., Washington D. C.

To my wife, Martha L. Chapman, Montville, Conn.