[Note: This letter is in the Cornelius Van Houten Correspondence, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, but it has never been previously transcribed.]

Battery B, Va.
January 9th 1865

Dear Father,

Your short letter of the 5th came to hand yesterday. I can tell you it did me good to hear from home once more, for you must know I had not seen a word from there in three weeks excepting through Albert. I did not know but “my nose was out of joint” and Albert had now drawn all the attention, or perhaps I was forgotten altogether. In fact, I did not know what to think but I suppose it is alright now. I tell you what, Father, I have not been so homesick for many a day as I have been for the last month. I feel better now and thank you for writing. You folks at home do not know half the cheer it gives us to get letters from those we love at home or you would all write oftener. I cannot blame you so much but the girls can write three times as often as they do and it wouldn’t hurt them at all. If they cannot write through the week, I know they can spare a few moments on each Sabbath. If I could get a short letter once a week, I would be glad. Give them a good blowing up, Father. Perhaps then they will do better. I do not expect a letter from Matilda for I know her time must be pretty well taken up with that hunk of soft soap of hers. If Amanda don’t write to me oftener, I won’t answer another of her letters—that’s so!

Well Father, I am glad you have got Albert’s box started. I was afraid it would be too late for I have heard there was to be no more boxes come after the 1st of January. They say there is so much express in Washington for the army that they cannot find transportation for it. But I guess they could have tried. I hope we will get this box anyway for we are pretty hard up now for eatables. Uncle Sam thinks the war will soon be over so we must try and get along with what we can get for he don’t want to buy anymore than he really needs.

The war has never seemed so near over as it does now. All but one of the southern harbors is cut off from the main world. I am very sorry that Butler did not capture Fort Fisher at Wilmington and it seems very strange why he did not attack it at all hazards. I should have tried it after all its guns were silenced. It looks as if he was a coward. But this is only one defeat where we have had nothing but a succession of victories. We have abundant reason to thank God for the great kindness He has shown towards us throughout.

I believe Grant is all right and will prove himself to be one of the greatest generals of this world. He and Abraham Lincoln are just the men we have wanted this long while. God has raised them both for this special purpose. Both are of but common birth and it will be sufficient to immortalize the both if they bring about a Union once again. Each man is in his place now—Farragut on the sea, Grant on the land, and Lincoln at the head of our Nation. I think the people are becoming more sensible every day. I hope we may all fill up our quotas for that wil have a great effect.

Write soon, — C. W. Houten