Postmarked Mobile, Ala, June 23. To Mr. Isaac Carhart, Tanktown PO, Delaware Co., Ohio
Mobile, Ala. June 22nd
Dear Friends: I have delayed writing for some time, thinking to get a letter from you but I have been entirely disapointed. I have not heard from you since I received your letter dated the 15th of May. it appears to be about the same with most of the Co. that it is with me. I understand the cause of our not getting any mail is because they dont write to us. they think the 96th are on their way home.. they have had us at Camp Chase three or four times and had us mustered out about a dozen times.. if you quit writing now and comence to look for us home I am afraid you will get tired of looking for I am pretty sure we will not get home untill our time expires and by that time we may be in Mexico and it will then take us untill the middle of September to get home. Times here are about the same they were when I last wrote. the weather is very warm, but we have had some very refreshing showers in the past week. which makes the face of nature look very beautiful. gardens begin to look very nice to what they did when it was so dry. although (e)very thing in the vegitable line is very high. new potatoes sell for 10 cents a quart. cucumbers, two for 25 cents. Onions.. 5 or 6 in a bunch for 25 cents and other trash about the same. sweet milk, 25 cents a quart. butter milk 15 cents a quart, butter, 50 cents a pound. eggs, 50 cents a dozen. the little Girls bring in pies to sell baked on a common tin plate for 25 cents a piece. So you see if a person lives on any this except Tack & Coffee. he has to have a good deal of money to buy with and then get but a little. I buy a little milk or a few potatoes some times just so that I make a live of it and that is all I care for. After a few months I will go north and I can work for enough to get what I want to eat. I would like to have you write and let me know how you are. I feel somewhat anxious to hear also to hear what you are going to do the 4th of July. I have not yet heard of what they are going to do in Mobile. I suppose there will be some kind of excitement. they are having big times in the City most all the time. there is Theatre, Circus & Minstrel Performence every night. I beleave I have not told you of the (what is called) Grand Review on the 3rd of June. (I called it a grand Bore) it was one of hottest days we have had since we have been here & the dust was about 3 inches deep. we left camp about 7 o’clock in the morning & marched down through the city about four miles & then all over the City & then back to camp. we stoped only about five minutes in the city. it was the hardest marching I have done since I left Fort Morgan. The Review was ordered on account of Solomon P. Chase, Chief Justice U.S.A being in the city. Justice Chase & Generals Canby & Granger were setting on a Balcony to one of the Publick buildings in the city where we passed enjoying themselves very nicely.. while the troops were almost suffocated with the heat & dust.. this way of doing business is going to play out in two or three months. The boys are well as usual.. My health is good. i will conclude for the present. Lu Carhart.
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PS While writing I hapened to think about you speeking in one of your letters about sending me some socks. You need not send them. my socks are good yet & will last me as long as I stay in the Service. You need not try to send me anything for it takes to long for it to come. my best respects to all. write soon & Oblige. Lu Carhart
This was the last letter from Lucius Carhart before he was discharged and returned home. Also amony these letters was the “Soldier’s pass”