Chesapeake Gen. Hospital
Fortress Monroe Va.
Oct. 21 1863
Dear Sister
Abbie
I recieved your kind
and interisting letter yesterday. and
was glad to hear from you and
to hear that you was well. I am
glad to see that you are improving
in writing so much. I before a
great while to see you writing
a good long letter to me. and
you can write for Mother to and
I am glad that you are helping
Father so much it will please
him so. and you must help
Mother too. as you know that
she does not feel very well. and
it will please her so much too
you must write and tell me all
of the news. and if you cant think
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of any news to write you must
write and tell me what you
do. and how much that you help
the folk. I am glad that you
got a prize in school. that shows
that you have tried to learn. and
I hope that you will continue to
do as well as you have been doing
and every body will like you. and
they will say that girl means to
try to do something. and I hope
that Ella will do the same. I wish
that I could write something
that would please you but I
dont think that I can. only their
is a little girl here from
Norton that is about the size
of the twins and she makes me
think of them a good deal and
she looks a good deal like them.
she comes in every morning and
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asked us if we have got any Candy
and sometimes some of us gives us
a little. but not very often because
we dont get any. I am sorry to say
that I cannot have any furlough
but never mind it will come out
all right in the end. Mebbe when
I get to the Regt I can get
but I dont care much about one
now as I am a getting better now
and dont think so much about
coming home. but I would like to
see you very well. I am glad
that you have got had so good
luck with your Chickens this year.
and I am glad that you told
me that Father got such a great
price for his Cramberries this
year I did not think that he
would get so much for them this
year as their was so many in the [??] [1]
[page 4]
I have not heard from Edgar
or the Regt once since I have
been in the Hospital. and then Edgar was
well, but it may be that he is dead but
I dont think that it is so. I hope
not because if I go to the Regt I
shall be lonesome, and it would
kill his mother. I will write to the
Regt to tomorrow and find out
if I can. but to morrow is the
day that we get the mail from
Charlestown and like enough I shall
here then if I do I will write
and tell some of the folks. the
weather is not very healthy here
now as it is warm one day and
cold the next and rain the next
and awful cold nights. the health
of the boys is not quite so good
as it used to be it is in the change
of the weather but I must close give my
love to all and write me a good
long letter and tell me all of the news as
[???] here good news From your Brother and
friend Edwin A Lane

[2] tell Ella that she
must write to me
all is going on good
[so far?] our side we
are giving the Rebels
a good many whippings
now and I dont
think that they will
hold out a great while
longer
Edwin
A
Lane
all send
their love to you