Falmouth March 10th /63

Dear Friend H.
As I could
not find aney thing to take
up my time thought I would
write you a fiew lines. I
received your letter of the
1st in due season and was
vary glad to hear from you:
so you have had a spree I
like to hear that you ar
enjoying life as you go along
I’d like to be there, if this war
was over but as long as our
Country is in danger I am content
to say here. perhaps you will
[page 2]
say that I can well say so
as long as I am out of danger
to be sure that is human nature
to keep out of danger as long
as you can: but with us our
chance is rather slim for we
ar expecting to go to our Reg.
every day. of cours we would
rather stay with the Cattle
for it is so much easeyer
but if we have to go I for one
shal go calculating to do my
duty for it is nomore than
what I expected when I come
out. yes Hat I had rather have my
resting place in Old Va. than
have the Rebels gain their indepen-
-dence, give me freedom or give
me death,: there is a class at
home and in the Armey that
I can find no other name to
call them by but Toryes, you
can tell them as quick as you
[page 3]
hear them begin to talk
this is about the strain they
begin on d-d Old Lincoln
and his niggers to (if it is a
Soldier he will say) I dident enlist
to fight for the niggers and
I hope that the folks at home
wont stand it but every Govener
call their States troops home
and not send aney more. let the
Abolitionist (excuse all mistakes) fight
it out if they want to free them.
and others say that the Armey is
demorolized and wont fight. but
it isent so they ar not fighting
for the negrows but for the
Union. shall we stand by and
see that flag those glorious
stars and stripes that we ar all
so proud of. I say shall we
stand and see it tore down
and the palmento go up and not
rais a hand to stop it. why is this
[page 4]
Oh becaus old Abe has taken
their rits away from them
he has freed their slaves and
treading uppon them every way
he can: about the Armey being
demorolized that is fals they
have nothing to grumble at for
they have ar well clothed and have
enough to eat and that that
is good holsome food perhaps
it isant so nice as they would
get at home but it is good
and a great deal better than som
they some of them had aught to
have I guess that will do on
that score, no Hat. I havent had
a sleigh ride this winter. it
wasent becaus we havent had aney
snow for we have had over a foot
at a time. I shall hold you to
your promice when I get home
then we will see if you have
improved in teaming. now for a fiew
questions if Jed is at home aske him what
he can get a good melodian for I want
Ellen to learn to play and something
[continued in top margin of page 1]
if they dont cost to much I
mean to get her one
and if I do I want you
to learn her how to
play will you. you need
neadnot let every body
know that I wrote to
you about it. well
my sheet is most
full. but I have one
more request to make
if you hear aney young
man say aney thing against
our government or the
administration for the
sake of your brother and
friends scorn him not as
we need to at sprees but
in earnest for they
ar worse than the
Rebels in [????] with their
was a [??] to imprison every body
that said [?] word in
[written upside down at top of page 2]
favour of the Rebels to
[written in right margin of page 2]
the sun is just siting and I
will close so good night
[written in left margin of page 3]
ever the same All