Letter to James Henry Reid, Sr.

Scope and content:

Written from VMI, Lexington, Virginia. Letter regards cadet life.

Language:

English .

Other descriptive data:

V.M.I. Sep 20, 1862

Dear Pa
Your letter written from Richmond was recd several days ago, and your letter of the 18th recd today.

When I first entered the Institute I liked it very well, but in the last two or three weeks I have become very much dissatisfied. Amongst other things I do not get enough to eat. My seat is in the middle of a long table. At breakfast a pitcher of milk is put at both ends & by the time it passes down to me there is no milk left so I have to eat dry bread, same at supper. Today at dinner I was so hungry that I ate a piece of rotten beef although it smelled very badly, & a small piece of bread. Since then I have thrown up several times and still feel very badly in my stomach. My only resource is to buy some apples & fill up with them. (Capt. Whitwell the Commissary says the fare will be better in a week or so). I felt so badly last Thursday night that I could not prepare any lessons and made zero which reduced my mark a great deal for the week. I am also inclined to some kind of disease in my stomach, my food constantly coming up in my mouth & my throat hurting me but perhaps that may wear off. I had a cold sweat last night which I don't like very much. I intend going to morrow to see Dr. Madison about it.

I have 13 demerits, 5 for noise after taps, 3 for no regulations in room (I did not know that we were obliged to have them in our room) & 5 for falling out of ranks at drill. The way I came to fall out was thus. For the last two or three weeks we have been double‐quicked nearly to death & the evening on which I fell out I was very unwell & double‐quicked until I could go no further. So I fell out & came to my room. I told Maj. Shipp how it was but he refused to take it off. I don't think I will get any more for some time. There are very few who have as few demerits as me. Thomas Henderson had 40 3 weeks ago. I don't know how many he has now about 60 I suppose & he has only been here 10 days longer than me. He will be dismissed for neglect of studies unless he alters a great deal. He is the most good‐for‐nothing fellow I ever came across. Has not as much sense as his sister Julia.

I have learned so rapidly lately that they have put me in Company drill, which I am very glad of for it is nothing like as hard as Squad drill.

I asked Gen. Smith this morning about the cloth. He said he did not know when he would get cloth so you had better send mine up. He has given some boys furloughs to go home to provide their winter clothing. He says if I get the gray like you have his will be something like it and I will not want another uniform. Please send it on a Friday so that I can go down & get it on Saturday. You know how much to send for uniform & overcoat. The uniform of Brown's & the overcoat of Flannagan's I wrote you some time ago how much it took to make them. I reckon you had better wait till Ma comes back before you send it but be sure to send it on a Friday. Bundle it up good and write me when you sent it so I will know when to look out for it. I must close with love to all,

I remain,
Your affectionate son, J. Henry Reid.

P.S. We have not begun to drill Artillery yet, perhaps not at all. Please write me what Bro is doing, what his position, &.

Subjects:

Virginia Military Institute—Cadet life—1860-1869
Correspondence

Names:

Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890
Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890

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