[patriotic illustration at top left of page]

Camp Tom Casey Nov 24 62
My dear Nell yours of the
20 came to hand to night
but when that box
comes to hand I think
it will cause your humble servt
to “wink his Starboard Eye and
kick out his pert leg” and to
“grin herrible a ghastly smile” [??]
I dont think I will make
my supper of bread and tea (?)
that night any how fer “Mrs.
Deacon” contemplates sending
this werthy individual a
cheese do you mind that now
my health is “A.1” ie. good
first rate: excellent: tip top:
first quality in fact I never
was better in my life and
I have not bin so fat for
8 years as I am now
[page 2]
to tell plain truth my bodily
korporosity iz good ie.
O.K. which said abbreviation
means Oll Korrect. O a,
very happy to report to the
good people that Gen. F.
Fessenden has resumed com-
mand of the gallant 25
ME Reg. and Lieut. J. C.
Kendall has returned to
his place in Co. G. Although
that lessens my chance of
promotion it is the best
thing that could be done
for the Reg. and Co. G.
But the commissioned
offices have got to pass
an “Examining board” at
Washington and it is
Expected that some of
them will be sent
home and if they send
[page 3]
home more than one Capt
Kendall will probably
be promoted to the Captancy
of some other Co. I wish
that Capt Kendall migh
be sent home to see how
he likes that old rule in
“Greanleafs Arithmetic” called
Reduction. It is int[??]
in case of a vacancy to make
a 2nd Sergeant of me but it
may no be the 2nd but it
will be a sergeant any how
if I behave myself. For Lt.
Bucknam says that I gain
Every day with the Captain
all the [decent?] men make
a pet of Charley he is always
welcome into any of their
cribs and if there was
a vancancy of 2nd Lt. to be
filled by bellot C. L. S.
[page 4]
would get 75 votes without
a doubt. This infermation is
strictly confidential and is
written to let you know
that my position in the ranks
is as pleasent as it can be and
that I shall not stay there long
after there is a vacancy.
vacancies of commissioned officers
are in the control of the Capt as
much as the non. Commissioned.
Capt K. considers me one of his
working men and when a gang
Charles “will you go?” Newell
is a great favorite of the Co.
but all the men & offiers are down on
the Orderly and say just what
they are a mind to to him he said
he would thrash me I told
him I “didn’t see it.” He is an
awful coward besides the men
say if he touche Charles they
will kill him and he sees that