Fort Stauntin Oct 3rd 1862
Sis Hattie
how do you do to night well I
hope; I am as well as ever I was in my life
but I feal home sick to night for fear
Herbert is very sick, if he don’t get help
soon it will go hard with him; he looks
very bad; he has ben sick five or six days;
but I didn’t write any thing about it
for I was in hopes he would be well by
this time; but how it will go with him
I can’t say; but what makes me feal,
the worst is we have got Orders to
march but where I don’t know but
down South some where; but what
makes me feal the worst is we have got
to go and leave poor Spike behind
without any man that he knows to take
care of him and look after him
[page 2]
it has ben six weeks to day since we left
Portland and we have lost two and ther is
about a dozen sick now; but I wont
write any more of our troubles for
it will set Mary to freting but you
tell Mary not to fret for Dave will
stand it as long as any of them out here
or any where else I have just ben out
to [lok?] look after my pots but they are
boilon all right, I have got to cook three
days grub to night for 100 men and
it is no small job I can tell you
but the boys must have something to eat
or they can’t fight but Dave can do his
fighting any how or shape and I do hope
I shal have a chance to shoot two or three
of them [Devils?] before I come home
I think there is no danger but we shal
have chance enough to fight before we
get [home?]; if Spike is any worse
I will write you in a day or two
[page 3]
give my respects to Lide and tell her
to be a good girl and not sit up late nights
give my love to your Father and Mother
and except a share your self
I want you to write often and
oblidge your Brother D V Lovell

tell Addie she is papas darlin darlin
baby and tell her I want to kiss her
hand and then kiss the other one and then cudy up
in the bed an say darlin darlin baby then papa
read and smoak and say darlin darlin baby then kiss
her hand . then go to sleep there that will do
for Addie this time
give my respects to all friends tell
Mary how do you do and tell her to
write often
Dave
tell Brue to write for [Joseph?] wont
I shant write to him again until I get a letter
from him