Camp near Warrenton Feb. 1st 1864

Dear Brother
thinking you
would like to hear from me I’ll
try and write a fiew lines this
evening, I got a letter from you
yesterday morning was glad
to hear from you: we get for
rations about three days soft bread
to two days hard bread, Pork and
fresh beef no salt beef, dried apples,
beens, Potatos and Coffee and Sugar
&c. we ar going to have some beens
for breakfast:
Soule has left us he is Prove [1]
up to Warrenton he hasent got aney
horse up there I guess he has
got a good place.
[page 2]
Orrin speaking of the Cristians enjoy-
ment I have thought for a long
time that they enjoy themselvs
better yes a greatdeal than ever
I did and have thought that I
would try and be one but here every
thing tends to lead a fellow the
rong way O I do like to go to
a good prayer meeting where they
seam to entr into it with
their whole sohl soles:
you wrote that you was determined
to be a Cristion I am glad to
hear it as you say there is
some that will think it fulish
but I believe there is a reality
in it and dont you give up
for aney of them. you said you
wer going to ask Mary to write
to me you know that I am not
acquainted with her and not
being a good Scholar I’m afraid
that I could not answer it
[page 3]
I do like to read good letters
you have spoke of her a number of
times I cannot seam to remembr as
I ever saw her. I’ll finish this in
the morning befor the mail goes:
Tuesday morning I’ll try and
finish this letter. ne we have
bin having some dull weather
of late I was on pickett Saturday.
what do you think of this last
call for 500.000 more men. thw
two hundred thousand in addition
to the three that they are now
raising I think it is a good thing
Old Abe has a notion of
fixing up this thing before his
4 years ar out. I think if
they let the army vote he will
keep his place four years longer
for men that a year ago wer cursing
him now say that he is the right
man in the rite place
[page 4]
I know a chap about my size that
would vote for him and if nothing
happens I shall be in Yarmouth
to vote for him I wish I could
throw a dozzen votes I think
he will be the nex President:
onley think how they wer down on
him about the Emancipation
Proclamation now they have found
that it was a good thing:
I think that one year from now
the [bosted?] Confedracy will bee
one of the things that was but is
no more. their last conscription act
is kicking up quite a full
fuss they will be fighting among
themselvs in a little while:
write soon and tell us all the
neys news good day from your
Brother Alvin