Office A[??] Q M
Ingalls Station Va
Mar 26th 1864
Friend John
Sitting in the
office to day and thinking
over old times, not having heard
anything very lately from the
good town of L [1], I thought
that I would write you, and
see if you still lived in the
land of good times and plenty of
cider. I suppose you will prob-
-ably want to know what I
am doing out there in this
wilderness. “Hell! Suffering
for my Country”
I am a clerk in the Quarter-
-master Department, having
been in this department about
[page 2]
a year and I like very well.
I keep the books of the [Cornall?]
and my work is mostly writ-
-ing, which does not always
keep my busy, and I have a
good Horse to ride whenever I
feel like riding, he is of a coal-
-black color and is a splendid
animal, having a man to take
care of him, he keeps him in
good condition. I wish that
you could come out here and
see me in my quarters, I
think that you would enjoy
the visit. The superintendent
and myself had a Log House
built with two apartments one
for the office, and the other
is our sleeping apartment,
we have two windows in the
house, and it seems quite
natural to live in a house again
[page 3]
if it is nothing but a Log
one. Our camp is on a
plantation of about 1000
acres owned by a man named
Stringfellow, he thinks that
the Rebs will have to give
up beaten. We are 1 ½ miles from
Brandy Station and 7 miles from
Culpeper, where I stopped about
six weeks last fall, it is quite
a pretty town but shows the
effect of War. How does Volun-
teering progress in Limerick do
you think that there will be
a draft. Genl. Grant has arrived
here and taken up his
head-quarter at Culpeper I
suppose he intends to have
the Army of Potomac do
something this summer,
he has got to look out and
not lose the laurels he has
[page 4]
now, for you know this Army
has been an unfortunate one
Has Uncle Luther had his
slumbers disturbed lately at
midnight by any one hiding
under his bed, for Artillery
firing at such an hour of the
night is generally rather startling.
Give my respects to all his
family and tell Martha that
her last letter was very interest-
-ing. How is your wife’s health
now, tell her I should be very
happy to receive a call from
her, is Maggi [Ilsley?] at home
now and how is her mother
health. But I must close and
I shall be very happy to re-
ceive a letter from you telling
me all the news. Direct to
me Care of Capt [E?] J. Strong.
A. Q. M. Head Qrs Army of Potomac
Washington. and remember me
as one that likes to have a good
time.
William [?]. Dob