Camp Tom Casey
Arlington Va Jan 24 [1863]

Friend Hat how do
you do to day I am first rate
and Tim and Sam up here
in the loft as they call it
writeing Tim is writeing to
Marth and I am writeing to
Hat well I have ben on
Guard four days this week
and my head feels pretty
thick so you must expect
a verry interesting letter
Lew has gone to the Bridge to
day I got cleer of it for once
but I donot know but what
[page 2]
I shall have to go to Washington
to morrow to plant a Col
we went over last Sunday
and planted one that got
his head shot off in the
last battle a cannon
ball took it right of from
his shoulders (I sould have
thought he would have felt
funny when he found that
it was gone) he was sent
to Washington and we had to
go over and escort him
to the grave I wish you could
have seen it it would have
been kinder interesting
if it was a funeral first
came the band all dressed in
Blue and white belts then
our band and Drummers
in the army uniform and
then the Regt with armes
reversed and white Gloves
[page 3]
on and then came the Harse
and that was a foney thing
open at the sides so that
you could se the coffin and
that was fancyfully done
up in the flag the came a
long string of Carriges
so on the while there was
quite a string of them he
was a catholic and it had to
be done in catholic style and
in a cathalic berying Ground
after they got him in we
fired three rounds over him
and then came home we had to
march in the whole about 18 miles
we should have thought it rather
hard if we had had to go 18 miles
to a funeral at home and go
on foot too but we have got
so used to marching that
the most of the boys stand it
well. I am getting so fat that
[page 4]
I donot expect that you
will know me when I
get back if I keep on.
we have been having a
rain storm and it is
muddy enough I can tell
you. the night ofter we
got home from the Bridge
it rained and there was
a leek over our bunck and
I drempt that I was in a
swiming and I woked up
and sure enough I didnot
lack much of it we had the
Rubber blankets on the bottom
and they held the watter
and I was laying in the
watter I shook lew and
told him he would drown
if he didnot get out and out he
come a driiping well my
sheet is most full you must
have just as good a time as
[continued in top margin and left margin of page 1]
you can for I shall soon be back
to pleg [1] you. you spoke of those letters
I forgot to take mine and so it
is at home but I shall have the
pleasure of reading it after I get
back good day Hat from Friend
O W B
kiss Mand
for me
when you
se her