Camp Near Culpeper VA Feb 9th/64

Sister Hattie
I thought as I have this eve to my
self I would try and write you a
few lines in answer to your kind
letters; and hope you will excuse me
for not writing before; but it is not
all negligence for we have ben at work
hard and then we would get in late
and then get supper and take care of our
teams by that time it was time to go
to bed and then I had nothing to write
that (I thought) would interest you
we have had another fight with the
rebs and drove them back but the
roads were so bad that it was imposible
to get along with the teams so we have
come back to our old camps and are
quite comfortable again we have got a
fine log house and bunks put up
and a plenty of hay so we have good beds
[page 2]
so you have to run when Georges baby
crys; well you can’t stay up there after
eight Oclock can you Hatt; well you
must go home early and give husband
a chance to perform his dayly devotion
ha ha ha you cant stay up there and
burn up all of wife’s candles now ha ha
you wrote you had nothing to send me
but your heart now Hatt how come
you try to blind me that way; for I hear
that you gave that away to a little bit of
a fellow by the name of ------ ------
well never mind Hatt he is a good one
when you write I want you to write me
some thing about your courtship how
you get along &c wont you Hatt
I saw Spik a day or two he is well and
looks first rate George Saule is well
and Greely and A. H.
we have some pretty good times out
here and some hard times and if I
had no wife or children it is just such
a life as I would like just excitement
enug to sute me but it is a hard place
[continued in right margin]
for a man with a family
[page 3]
you wrot you had grand still times in
Sodom this winter I should not think
that would sute you unless you
have changed some since I saw you
last – how does Bob and Hellen get
along is she at home or where is she
how does Ammi and Mary Mason
get along write all the news Hatt
what is the resen I don’t get eny
letters from Mary the last one I
got was wrote Jan – 17th Mary wrote then
that she and George had ben sick
but was better I hope she is not sick
again if she is I want you to write
as soon as you get this and let me
know all about it
tell Lem [Nason?] that I got his last
letter the next day after I wrote
to him tell Timothy I should
like to hear from him if he can
get time to write
be a good girl and run when you
hear the baby cry and write often to
your Brother David V Lovell