Letter from Michael Lally to his wife and children, May 21, 1862
Camp near Richmond
May 21 1862
Dear wife and children
I red a letter the 19 of this month which gives me great pleasure of hering from ye being in good health which leaves me in good health at present, thanks be to God for his blessing to me. Dear wife I feel tird this morning fer I am on a march this last four days from Williamsbourgh on for Richmond. Now I main to let you now that we are within 10 mile of Richmond this morning and apart of our army is within 5 mile of the city on one side. We expected a battle her this morning but the enemy fell back. Our troops followded them up and took 40 wagons and 160 mules with all loaded with provision but in a day or two the will have to fight
---
and I hope to God that we will have the good look as gaining this battle and with the help of God I will get safe out of it. I main to let you now how goods rats here. Tea is 5 dollars per lb. Sugar 40 ct. p lb. Coffy can not be got here. Butter is 80 ct. a lb. Eggs 75 ct. per dz. There is plenty of vegatibles here now and the wheat is in blossom and all kinds of fruit is very forward. This place around Richmond is the finest place I ever seen for you could see nothing all round but fields of wheat and all others crops fer 20-30 miles along to Northfolk on the James River and the band of the river som 20 feet above the leavel of the water is one of the finust Rivers I ever seen, for ther is all kind of fish takin in it but we have not tim at present to go fish but we can by plenty from the Negroes
---
Dear wife
I have not much to say at present. I am in very good health considering the rough times we have to undergo but with the help of God we will git over it in a short time and I wish it was this day. I send Mary one dollar in this letter to by her a pair of light shose for the 4 of July to go to the commons. Give my love to Mary and Marthew and I hope you don't cut Marthew hair for I want to see it long when I go hom. Not fergetting Margry or Johny you will remember to them which I hope I will see them once more.
Remember me to the enquiring friends and Neabors.
No more at present but remain
your truly husband
Michael Lally
---
I hope you got that 15 dollars which I sent you and writ as swoon as you can and let me now.
There is one thing more I mean to let you now the 15 dollars which I have alotted for you can not get it until the paymaster came to settle with us first and after that in a day or two you will get it to home which we ought to get that money before this.
Please fill out
this form to alert us to any suspected errors in our transcriptions. We value your input.
May 21, 1862
Lally, Michael
Near Richmond, Virginia
1 letter (4 pages)
Lally, Michael
Irish -- United States
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Participation, Irish
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives -- Personal narratives
Michael Lally letters and other material, 1861-2006
Lally_I_14
Copyright restrictions may apply. For permission to copy or use this image, contact the Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department, Brandeis University Libraries
http://hdl.handle.net/10192/28615
