Camp Pitcher Mar 25th 63 Dear Sister yours of the 1st
came to hand in due time and as I do not
know when I shal have another chance to write
As they say we are about to move I embrace the
opitunity of a dressing you a few lines
It is very uncertain about our moving [the?] [???]
but I believe we shal have b[??]is soon enough
Soon as the roads will soon be in a condition
and Gen Hooker is a Living man and
has blood in him that moves He has
won what reputaion he has by fighting
and none by retreating. Our army is in
beter condition then at any other time
since the campain began and for over
the pe [???] speak in terms of ad[ress?]
of their Cheaf I look for hard Marches
and warm hot fightin and If we do
not conquer many will fall I admired
the sentiment in your leter where
it says Go forth to meet the future
with a manly heart I believe I have come
as near doing so as they avrage at any rate
I [conciously say I?] do not dread the future
But when one sees evry thing conducted
loosely no sistem or order, men Working
for nothing but their own agrandisement
[page 2]
I does not take a great mind to see that
distruction wil as surly folow, as might the
day, and when I have writen dispondingly
about our army it was not that I was
disheartend but because such was the
evidence that I could draw no other
conclution But things have changed
for the leter comisarys have to do
their duty and furnish rations
regularly, Inspections are thorough and
drills are rigid as though they
intended to make an army of
Some force, and I have reson to hope
that with fighting Jo at the head we
may acomplish something to raise the drooping
spirits of an unfortunate country
Yesterday and to day we where ocupied
in fiting up our camp sticking round
ever greens fixing up our bunks where
we sleep and all said we where about to
move as we finished up to night and
sure enough the order has some to
leave to morow but I do not think
we shal go as soon as that How many
Houses soldiers fit up to leave with
out stoping one night in are many
as soon as they are well ready to rest
often they have to leave and many to return no more forever
[page 3]
You wrote to me that you had placed
that ring upon [?????] Sawyers finger and
that Phebe Elem had considerable to tell what
people said about me, now as people are very
apt to exagerate when they speak in turms of
either praise or blame about me I should
not advise a stranger to form an opinion
of me on any such coidences as for the ring
wich you said she said she would like to
have I will tell you how it stands I am
a candidate for fame and my fame
depends upon bone rings and profesing
to posess a litle shrudnes I place these
jewls when I can where they will work
to my advantage Now I ask you (with
would have upon her finger would not any
man of good taste be all absorbed in
dwelling looking at the hand and pas by
any thing I could devise in the shape of a
bone ring Now if ever I get so as to make a ring
that would not be an insult to ofer I shall
sertainly send it along, you also said that
Lissie Day wished for one Now she may think
that I consider her hand homely If I send one
but let me asure you that such is not the
fact one with so many other atractions their
hands are seldome notised at any rate
I do not know wither her hand is
handsome or not as I never notised so
[page 4]
so to day I comenced one and if
I have time I will send it with this leter
and run the risk of my reputation as a
bone ring maker being damaged
so you that of playing sharp upon me
and find out who I preferd giving that
ring to Now I do not think it is just
right to take advantage of one who hapens
to be simple hearted, the best thing is
to ask a direct question as I am very
to take a hint, Now I will tell you
as you put the ring upon her finger
I prefur that it stays there and if
the one that I shal send by this leter
be exceptable to the one it is intended
for and it causes no unhapynes to
any one, and [words scratched out] if they
cause half as many hapy thaughts as
they have drove gloom ones from me I have
done more good by so doing than al my efforts
have amounted to in fighting for our country
write often and long leters, O did
you know that that [Livn?] that
I drew on the canvas for
[mis sturees?] was a sucsess that the
ring took the first premium
she wrote to me the other day that
such was the case give my
regards to all M.P. Larry