Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03603.134 Author/Creator: Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) Place Written: Fredericksburg, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 11 August 1862 Pagination: 2 p. Order a Copy
Writes that he is sending his trunk home with his broken revolver in it. Asks his family to fix the revolver so that his brother, George, might have it.
Near Fredericksburg Augt 11 '62 5 AM Dear All, We sent off our baggage yesterday PM it goes to Alexandria to be stored. My trunk I wish to send home but there is no express agent nearer than the creek & I did not succeed in getting the trunk over so I suppose it has gone with the rest to A. I have written to the express agent at Aquia Creek to take it out there & express it to you & have tacked on a card with the home direction but I dont think you will see it. The back is out of order & often I find it unlatched after has been moved & tipped over a few times. I have one of my pistols in the trunk - the spring to the catch that revolves the cylinder is broken. The catch is done up in a piece of paper in the tray I believe. I want Geo. to have a revolver send it to colts manufacturing in Hartford for repair work or get a gunsmith at home to fix it. The first way is probably best. I should not send key until I hear from you (that you have recd it) You can open the trunk (if it is not unlocked before you receive it) by cutting off the nails that fasten the back. Lt. Eaton has not got well yet & I fear we may be obliged to leave him behind again. He has not been in action yet. I do not get any letter yet I think very likely my letters have been sent back & you dont know where to send. I sent to Geo. Mason yesterday whether I could have sent trunk by him. I am very well indeed None of the Norwich officers or boys are sick to my knowledge. I did hate to push the express back on the trunk as much as anything but books are rather heavy to carry at any time. I am carrying more baggage now than I want and many things that I would not like to loose but as there is a company trunk that we carry I put them in. The baggage train is of course liable to capture & to be sent off & to a thousand accidents that would affect the troops. I am going to Fredericksburg this morning to send the money collected for Dr. Lathrop's monument to the Norwich Bank for safe keeping until we can complete the collection & arrange some things respecting it that we cant well attend to as we are expecting orders to march every hour. My best love Chas Fburg 12 oclock I send piece of secesh Music to Ellen - Maryland My Maryland
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