Charleston So Ca
May the 21st :1862
Dear Martha
I have this morning received
your kind letter and was
truly glad to hear your are
all well and doing fine this
leaves me enjoying
good health and hope that
it may reach you all well
I have no news much to
to write. I went to church
sunday to the first Baptist
church in Charleston and
heard a find sermon
the preachers name is
Winkler. it is the finest
church I ever saw any wher
or ever expect to see a gain
there was some very pretty
girls and some as ugly ones
as ever you saw. we had
and election for Major
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day before yestorday and our
captain was elected by a
majority of fifty three votes
Leutenat Thompson is
our captain now and we
will have an election for th[?]
Leutenat to morrow I
was out on picket last
night and had a fine
time of it indeed we
wer stationed at the city
Hall about Ten oclock
we received to go out and
arrest a man the Leut
of the guard told corp
E H Harley to take six
men and go after him
we went about a half
mile and then turned
in a narrow ally for
a bout one hundred yards
and then we went up
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in to the third story and
took the chap and brought
him to the ground without
his shoes or cloths and
carried him to prison
from the looks of the place
I think it was a Hooker
establishment we took him
in there was six or seven
women and five men also
at the house. I expected
we would have a fray but every
thing was quiet as could
be. E. H. Harley sends his
respects to you all and is
well and hearty and
in good sperits. John and
Basil is well and doing
fine Ben weathersbee
got here yesterday evening
as fat as a hog I have nothing
else of importance to
write you
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Tell Jimmy I am glad to hear
that he is a good boy and is
learning his book I would
like verry much to see him
and talk with him a
while also I would like
to see Ida walking about
and hear her talk some
I would like to see you
all which I hope I will
some time in the course
of a month or two if times
gets no worse. I must come
to a close by saying give
my loce to Papa and the
girls and receive a due
portion for your self and
children. your affectionate
and loving husband
Farewell
Joseph A. Drummond