Hunters Chapel March 21

Dear Mother
I recieved your letter
last night and was glad to here that
all of the folks was well. I am sorry to
here that you are getting low spirits
again. I was hoping to here that you
was getting better. you must not get
lowspirited and you will feel better.
We will have the best camp ground
we ever had if we stay here a month
longer. we have got better quarters
than we had at Miners. hill. and
it only cost about $1.50 a peice and we
have better accomdations we have
straw to lay on and our living
is better. we have soft bread
all of the time and we have soup
and we draw potatoes and we have
beef stake once a week and fresh
beef boiled the rest of the time all
that we want money for is to buy
butter and Apples to the sutler [to = at]
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I recieved that box last night
and was glad to get it the boots
was just the fit and just the
kind that I wanted. now I can
walk without gitting wet feet all
of the time. we have the meanest
weather that I ever see out here they
has not been a day out here since we
got into this place but what it has
rained or snow or hail. we had
a snow storm here last night and
the snow was 2 inches deep this morning
but I must tell you about the box
everything was good. and that ham
was the best I cooked some of it this
noon and give my tent mates some
and they said that it tasted the best
of anything they had tasted of since
they left home. we had baked
beanes for breackfast and that brown
bread tasted good. I tell you it tasted
like home. I was glad that you
sent that bottle of Cough Medicine
because I have got a cold and it
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will help my cough a good deal
Edgar is well and is in pretty good
spirits and sends his love to you and all
the rest of the folks. he is the hardest
fellow to get to write that ever saw
At he will keep saying that he
is a going to write and will say
so all of the time so I cant get him
to write at all. Is William Allen At
home now. I should think that he
would get his discharge or go to
his regt does he help Father any
this winter. or does he loaf all of
the time. does daniel stay their yet
or has he moved. I hope that
he will stay their so Aunt can
do your sewing for you. if she
should move it would cost him
more to get his sewing done that
will keep him a good deale and
if she we can get paid off I shall
send him some money as much
as I can share. tell him if he can
not spare 10 dollars tell him to send
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to send 5 dollars and I should not
send home for any only I have four ower
5 dollars and dont want to borrow
any more if I can help we have
pretty good news to day. the general
says that we shall be to home before
next fall if we have good luck
as we have been having . I do not
think that I shall try to get a furlough
for the preasent. we have 2 Regt.
in our brigade that goes hom ein
the last part of May. and then
this post will be all fo left for
the rebels to go right into the
Capital so I think that we shall
stay here this summer to guard
long bridge. we have to build rifle
pits now we have not picket duty
to do now. we have a pretty easy
time but I must close by saying that
you must keep good courage and
not let such feeling overrule you
give my love to all tell them that
I am pretty well and hope that this
will find them the same
from your friend and son E. A. Lane


[1] tell Father to keep up good courage because their
is better times a coming by and by when he will have his son
Edwin to help him again if he wants him to