Written on multiple imprinted regimental letter sheets!

"Burnside will not go into winter quarters till he has Richmond & slain enough Rebels to make it pay to rest a while. I envy no one at home while the war lasts. It is better to fight to the death than let these Rebels conquer. I hope the most desperate measures will be adopted & I much prefer their Slaves should cut their throats & sew them to their own abode that they should slay our soldiers & destroy the Union. If we are not soon successful I shall be most thankful when the Slave take the knife for the extermination of every Rebel at all hazards. We must see to it that this war is not ended until every Rebel is crushed, humbled or hung. The more hung the better if they will persist in their way. Now I am going to read the President's message."

9 pages, 5 x 8 in ink, on three separate imprinted regimental letter sheets with vignette of the Maine State Seal at upper left corner. Written by Chaplain Edward Furbish. Comes with an envelope addressed to his wife with a 3 cents rose George Washington postage stamp, addressed to Mrs E.B. Furbish, New Haven, Conn, Box 565. Also includes his wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to a 2 3/8 x 4 card. Very nice standing view of Chaplain Furbish posing with one hand resting on the back of a studio chair while he wears his single breasted military frock coat with black Chaplin buttons. There is a very tiny chip out of the photographic paper at the extreme upper right corner which is well away from the subject. No backmark. ID on the reverse: Edward B. Furbish, 25th Maine Vol., Chaplain, 10/4/62-7/11/63.

Head Quarters 25th Maine Regiment, Arlington Heights, Camp Tom Casey, Dec. 1, 1862

My own Gracie,

No one would think it was the first day of December here who has lived in New England. It is warmer & milder here than it can be with you. We keep a little fire in our tents, but only a little. It is like our early Spring or Fall days. The grass about my tent has looked quite green, but I will think not thrive much longer. I am now in the Chapel Tent among the sick. There are but two who are dangerously sick here, and one may die. That is why I am here tonight. Do not know how long I shall remain. I am very well indeed. Have never felt more healthy & think I am gaining every day, but some of these poor fellows are failing sadly, yet we hope they will come out of it. Think we shall after all lose two or three of those now sick, but it may not be so. Have not done much of anything today not even in visiting. This morning wrote a letter home to Mother & told her I hoped she would be able to stop & see you, but I should not be surprised if they should be in such haste to see Father that they should conclude to come down & see you some time after they have been settled, but I hope they will be able to stop as they come on. After writing her I laid down or rather reclined & read the papers which have been sent me. This took till dinner time. Took Lilly out a little while to try her & see how her lameness appeared. It does not show now only a very little when turning. Think in a very little while that she will be entirely over it. Hope so at least. Then wrote a letter to one of Mr. Kimble's friends telling all I could about him. He was not married but had a little child. As soon as he found that he was to have one he took the Mother to his home & acknowledged the child, but yet I do not think he ever had married the Mother. It will be very hard indeed for her. He had on his finger a ring with her name on it & all seemed to think he was attached to her. I wrote her a letter as though she had been his wife without in any way alluding to the fact which I have told you & yet I have half thought there was another whom he loved more perhaps than the Mother of his child which may have deterred him from marrying. He had no relatives other than a brother's wife. All the rest of the family had died as suddenly as he. The notice in the paper was that he had no relatives & yet he left a child & the mother. What a comfort it would be if she could only bear his name & feel that the one she loved was in the sight of the world her husband. She will have a hard path to walk in this life. Hope she may meet her lover in heaven, or at least may here be comforted. There are a good many sad hearts here in this world who do not know enough to seek comfort from the Source of Blessings, but it is given unto us. Dr. True asked me tonight if I would have come out here had I known I should not return. He said he would not. He has left a wife & children behind. The more I see of the men the more I feel our love is peculiarly strong & precious to us. I do love you my Gracie more than I can begin to tell you. May Notre Pere be near us & keep us safe. Can but feel anxious about your health & long to hear from you. Until yesterday have not written you on Sundays because I was too tired & had too much to do, & sometimes did not finish in season for Monday morning's mail, then you would be without a letter from Monday morning until Wednesday morning, but they never ought to be detained longer than that. I write every day & have excepting Sunday's so you ought to receive six letters a week. Last week I think I only sent five letters. Will it do if here after I only send them once in two days or four a week? Think after all it will be difficult to refrain from writing as it will be for you to do without them & so the letters will come to you as usual I presume. Do not know why letters the first of the week are detained unless it is that they mail last of all the soldier's letters & only then when there is time & as there are more letters written Sunday than on any other day presume that our mails are laid over in Washington one day sometimes. When I can send the letters to you by a friend going to the city & he drops them in & then they go in the mail first sent & do not wait to be distributed until the last. Feel quite confident your letters have all reached. The Second & Third Brigades of Casey's Division have been ordered to go into winter quarters. The First will doubtless be removed. All whom I see think our regiment very highly favored in every respect. These opinions come to me out of the regiment. There is nothing new to write. Everything goes on well. I do hope [General] Burnside will not go into winter quarters till he has Richmond & slain enough Rebels to make it pay to rest a while. It has taken a great burden off my mind in coming out here. I envy no one at home while the war lasts. Of two evils we must choose the least. It is better to fight to the death than let these Rebels conquer. Their abode is I feel quite confident in the darkest regions & the sooner they find their homes the better I think. This of the leaders, not of the rank & file. I hope the most desperate measures will be adopted & I much prefer their Slaves should cut their throats & sew them to their own abode that they should slay our soldiers & destroy the Union. If we are not soon successful I shall be most thankful when the Slave take the knife for the extermination of every Rebel at all hazards. We must see to it that this war is not ended until every Rebel is crushed, humbled or hung. The more hung the better if they will persist in their way, chosen or deliberately, but enough. If this, they are in the hands of the One who hates them more than I do. It is a comfort to think so. Now I am going to read the President's message & will say my own darling child "good night." Give much love to Mother. Think you will be able to see your boy this winter & more than once too. It would be novel for you to see me in New York & then you could ride in the cars & come to your home. I may be able to fix it so you can come, but here & stay awhile. Write me. By & good night my own love.

Your husband,
Edward

Excellent content! Very nice Union chaplain grouping which includes 3 imprinted regimental letter sheets with Maine State Seal and 9 pages of newsy content, including superb slave content, stamped envelope addressed to Mrs. E.B. Furbish, and a very fine cdv photograph of Furbish in his Chaplin's uniform.

Edward Furbish was a resident of Portland, Me., and enlisted on 10/4/62, as the regimental chaplain of the 25th Maine Infantry. Civil War chaplain letters and photographs are very scarce. Great combination of items.