George Van Vlack to brother Stephen

George Van Vlack to brother Stephen

ElmiraDec. 8th 1861Sunday Evening

Dear Brother,

I take this opertunity of answering your kind and sentimentle letter of the 6th. We were very glad to hear that you were well and enjoying your self. We are quite well both of us and enjoyed that letter, the best kind. I had to laugh when I red that lingo of yours. But that is the kind of letter to write. How Lute laughed when he red it. He told me to tell you that you was a darned shit. He speaks of you often and says he would like to see you and have some fun with you, as he terms it. He is fat and likes to fool as well as usual.

Stephen, you wanted to know if we had received any pay yet or not. We have not and probily wont untill we have been there some time. Pay is slow but shure with Uncle Sam.

Stephen, we have got all our equipment now except the Cap box. Perhaps it would be entertaining for you to hear what they were, but it would not bee so entertaining if you had to carry them all. First it is Gun, waist belt for the bayonet, catriage box and belt crossing the left sholder, then those darnd great knapsacks, then haversacks for carring previsions, then the canteens, which hold three pints, then plate, cup, knife and fork. I believe tht is all thogh I may of forgot something. Yet you can guess they are well harnessed. Our guns are the Enfield Rifle. Well made and well sighted, creased barl, very sharp but not Sabor bayonet.

Good by for nowGeorge Van Vlack Esg.