Brandy Station Va Apr 25 64
Dear Sister [????????????] the 17th came to hand
wile I was out on picket and as I have
returned to this and we are to chnge camps
tomorrow I take this opitunity of writing you
a few lines upon one those [???] sheets of paper [1]
that you went me before [????????] leter by your
sending [?????] sheets for by this Isupose you
like considerable [???????????????????????]
another I joined Daniel here when I got
Back but it was late in the day and
I had not chance to have much talk with
him he is well and looking better I
think than when he came out here Be shure
and tell will that I say he must not
enlist I can do better by him than Uncle
sam will He is not stout enough for a
soldier he would break down the first
march I wrote him a leter a short time ago
and promised him if he done well at
home wile he had no buisnes away I
would assist him if he should want
to go to school this fall I shal write
to him again soon and tell him I say
that he must not enlist If I am fortunate
I shall be at home in alout 16 months
then he and I will make him known
but we cannot if he is in the army
[page 2]
I sent that picture frame to mother in
a tin Box done up in paper I hope it
will arive safe for it cost me considerable
time if it gets dirty take and wash it
with a little soda water with a clearn
tooth brush and brush it after it is dry
I have got to make an other for the conl”
if I have a chance Hansome made one and
I supose he sulid his fancy biter than
mine but mine was full as good
as I expected and the crowd thaught
my eagle could bite quicker than his,
But Hansome is a mane of fine mechanical
taste and it is no disgrase for him to beat you
It took him nearly a week longer than it did
me and he had made two before,
I mean by a week the time we get for our selves
in a week It was very assuring to me
to hear thn shoulder straped genltemen
sy I never aught towork at blacksmithing
for by practise I could become a good carver
or marble worker, I wonder if they
think it takes les skill to be a black
smith than it does to be a soldier
I Judge that by the airs that some
put on that one has to be of diferent
cast from common mortals to wear shoulder straps
[page 3]
When the fact is to be a line ofiser
for the duties they doe is more boys play
to blacksmithing How apt people are to praise
these persuits that are not nearly usefull
and how little credit one gets if he is nothing
but a usefull member to society and how
much if he is one orniment and not usefull
I fully understood that “adrift” when I wrote
to you I thaught that I had wrote some
things that did not exactly express my meaning
and never the les I interpeted all right in my
mind I Believe that any one head is not exactly
right when they are extremly hopefull or despondent
and then evry thing seems looks a little out
of reason we exageate do not see thing as they
nearly are, and this poem to me was a fine
discription of such a a state of mind the verse
that had too seas in it I did try to sugest
something else and gave it up as a bad joke
and cae to the same conclution that it
as much easer to find fault than it was
to doe better I have received no things from
mother some one proberly apropriated them
I am just so thankfull as though
the Soldiers resent I thaught good of the kind
but you did not not say wether the regment was granted
but as they say Silence gives consent we are
left to amagine watt folowed wich I pruseume
can be done much beter than discribed
[page 4]
for the future I should send home
for the most of my papers and
you will call on mother for the
funds to get it I have a notion
of making that ring that there
has ben so much talk about but some
times I do not know but it
might create some displasure
you know this ring buisnes is
rather a delicate buisnes. and
after I get home I doe not want
any one to step up to me and
say he has orderd coffee and pistols
for two Many rings are made to
produse hapines for others and
green Backs for me and as
long as this is firly understood
there is no truble I comenced
that pin to day but the Bone
proved poor and I can not
say when I shall have time to
do it as we shall be on
the wing now for some tim
Give my best regards to all
M.P. Larry
[written on right margin]
I sent 15$ to you by
leter a short time ago