Addressed to Mrs. John W. Piper, Silsbee St., Lynn, Mass.
Washington D. C.
December 8th 1864
Dear wife,
I have got through with another days work & have got through posting up my books & will now write you a few lines. I have had a pretty busy day of it today. I went to headquarters & got my team this morning & started for [Ft.] Runyon ¹ & got 10 lbs. of tea at 85 cts. per lb. & as good tea as you would wish to drink. We had some of it for supper tonight & all pronounced it better than that I paid $1.50 for in the city. I also got 200 loaves of bread for which I paid $12.00 for & this will carry us through this 10 days pretty smart. I also got my Company Savings papers signed. I shall not draw any pork this next 10 days & I don’t know as I ever shall as long as it is so high. They will allow me $45.00 per barrel fo pork this month. Last month it was worth $36.00. The month before it was worth $25.00, so you see it will hardly [pay] to use a great deal of such pork we draw here. The old commissary [captain], while looking round for something to put my tea [in], found a hog[shead] which the Darkeys had hot hid away calculating to fill with coffee & sugar &c. &c. & carry away with them. He said last Saturday night they caught their most trusty old fellow carrying off a hog[shead] of coffee & they took that from him & gave him a dressing down & in about ½ an hour after they caught him carrying off a hog[shead] of sugar & then the Old Capt. discharged him, & they found another hog[shead] of coffee hid in the carriage house ready to take off. He seems to think that they are pretty light-fingered fellows.
Well, I started off over Long Bridge & went to Harnden’s Express Office [at 441 Pennsylvania Ave.] where we got a trunk for [Andrew H.] Bartlett which was pretty well filled with eatables. He gave me a meat pie, the ½ which lays before me. I would like it if you were only here to share it with me. I came up to [the] 7th Street [Market] & got my butter & a barrel of potatoes, 5 reams of paper & 1250 envelopes & 6 dollars worth of stamps. The paper & butter has got something of a shaking today. My butter is not the first chop but I tell [you] as soon as they will eat this up, I will get some better. I bought this nearly a month ago & did not have the money to pay for it & so left it till this time. They complained of its being strong. I told [them] that it had been gaining strength for the last 4 weeks but I think that I shall soon work it up.
It is windy & cold tonight & I must go out & get an armful of wood. You know that I am pretty good to get in night’s wood. It is now about 8 o’clock & I have not got a great supply chopped. But never mind, there is a good moon.
There, I was able to find a firkin full all cut up in the shape of chips and those make a pretty hot fire. I shall expect a letter from you soon. I carried the Capt’s bedstead home this P.M. I think that I shall find it much more for my comfort to sleep down in the Sergt’s room. I did not sleep very warm last night.
I see by the Reporter that there is quite a stir in Lynn about the moving [of] the Central Square Depot. ² I think by the looks of things now that they will move it. I don’t know as it will make much difference with us either way. It will be likely to affect the manufactories in that section in the end. They may not feel it at present. They have got an old head pulling for Market Street. L. M. Budirer [?] will probably do as much towards having things his own way as any other man in Lynn.
Central Square Depot in Lynn, Massachusetts
I guess I will not fill this sheet quite full [and] leave a bit [of] the room for tomorrow morning. So good night. I hope you have got home from your journey all right. I think that I shall call up to see Mr. [Thomas W.] Jenness tomorrow.
December 9th — 6 A.M. — It is cold enough this morning. I lay as long as I thought safe without freezing & then I got up & made a fire. I made up my bunk on the floor. I had but two blankets over me. If I had had the third, I guess I might have lain quite comfortable.
Please write as often as convenient & give us a general view of things. Mr. Thurston comes. I wish you would try and keep the run off so it is not likely to come off this next term that I may lay the fact before our furloughs are all given out. If there is not much likelihood of its coming on next month, I shall come home with the last lot which will be sometime in January and February. Give my love to all at home and all inquiring friends. I may go to the Capitol today & see what is going on there.
From your affectionate husband, — John W. Piper
[P.S.] I would like to have you find out where Silas is & his address. I should like to write him. — J. W. P.
I will write you about the same as heretofore. Crows just begin their journey.
¹ “Fort Runyon is an overgrown, straggling, tumbledown affair and, contrary to custom, is built in a hollow. The junction of the Alexandria and Centerville turnpikes is here, while the railroad to Alexandria passes directly through it. A government bakery and a large commissary storehouse are also situated inside of the fort.” — by a member of the 14th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery.
² The first railroad depot at the Central Square location in Lynn, Massachusetts, was built of wood in 1838. It was replaced with a brick building in 1848 and included a 2-track train shed.
Tough as a Pitch Pine Knot 