February 28, 1865
Title
February 28, 1865
Subject
From George Murray to his parents, dated 28FEB1865. Received the hat and stockings. Received $64.00 for four months pay and sending part of it home. Saving part of pay for commissary wishes they would cut the pay rather than cutting rations. Rebels still deserting. In pencil on lined folder stationary. Soiled and slightly faded on the front and at the folds. Tear at the bottom, "Hope" seal at top.
UNIT ASSOCIATION: 114th PA Infantry
-Information provided by the courtesy of the National Park Service
UNIT ASSOCIATION: 114th PA Infantry
-Information provided by the courtesy of the National Park Service
Description
Headquarters Army of Potomac Feb 28 /65
Dear Father & Mother.
I received the hat and stockings last evening and was very glad to get them as my other hat was worn out. I am in good health and hope these few lines will find you the same. We were paid off yesterday. I got four months pay. I intend to send you $50 of it. I will send twenty in this letter so till I see whether you receive it or not as soon as you receive it let me know. I wrote you a letter the other day. The other fourteen dollars I will keep to buy things from the Commissary as we do not get enough without we buy things. I wish instead of raising the pay and cutting down the rations they had cut down the pay and raised the rations. I see that they are trying to raise the pay again but I hope they do not succeed. If they do we will get nothing except we buy and I find that it hardly pays for everything is very dear. Coffee at the commissary is fifty five cents, a pound potatoes one dollar and a half a bushel fresh meat I have not bought so I do not know the price. They have cut down our ration of beef to one issue in a week but they give us plenty of pork in the place of it fresh beef is scarce in the army. The rebs still keep coming over a squad of a hundred went down in the cars the other night the regiments down at the Point has so much to do, guard the prisoners so that they have to send up to our regiments for details. A detail of men from our regiment has taken a squad of prisoners on to Washington. All is quiet along the lines. The weather has been very warm for the past few days it is raining now. All of the Bustleton boys are well. If you receive that money let me know as quick as possible. Give Chap a big kiss.
Your Son
George Murray.
-Transcript provided by the courtesy of the National Park Service
Dear Father & Mother.
I received the hat and stockings last evening and was very glad to get them as my other hat was worn out. I am in good health and hope these few lines will find you the same. We were paid off yesterday. I got four months pay. I intend to send you $50 of it. I will send twenty in this letter so till I see whether you receive it or not as soon as you receive it let me know. I wrote you a letter the other day. The other fourteen dollars I will keep to buy things from the Commissary as we do not get enough without we buy things. I wish instead of raising the pay and cutting down the rations they had cut down the pay and raised the rations. I see that they are trying to raise the pay again but I hope they do not succeed. If they do we will get nothing except we buy and I find that it hardly pays for everything is very dear. Coffee at the commissary is fifty five cents, a pound potatoes one dollar and a half a bushel fresh meat I have not bought so I do not know the price. They have cut down our ration of beef to one issue in a week but they give us plenty of pork in the place of it fresh beef is scarce in the army. The rebs still keep coming over a squad of a hundred went down in the cars the other night the regiments down at the Point has so much to do, guard the prisoners so that they have to send up to our regiments for details. A detail of men from our regiment has taken a squad of prisoners on to Washington. All is quiet along the lines. The weather has been very warm for the past few days it is raining now. All of the Bustleton boys are well. If you receive that money let me know as quick as possible. Give Chap a big kiss.
Your Son
George Murray.
-Transcript provided by the courtesy of the National Park Service
Creator
George Murray
Date
February 28, 1865
Files
Collection
Citation
George Murray , “February 28, 1865,” Slaughter-Murray Papers, accessed April 17, 2026, https://slaughtermurray.umwhistory.org/items/show/55.