No 20 Newport News Va feb 20th [1863]
Deare Wife Dear them Boxes have
Alost killed me they Come wensday
Night I. am so full I Can hardly
Move it Comenced rining tusday
Moring about two oclock and rained
Till wensday Night I. was Called to
Go to the wharf about five oclock
it rained hard my stockings and
shoes Got soping wet I Never Got
My feet so wet be fore sence
I have ben in the Armey I.
Doint no what I. Should have
Done I. doint think I. Could
have Got a Pair in the Com.
but I. had a Nice warm Pair
to Put on your Box Come Good
Not a thing Spoilt or Mouldy
the Mince Pie was stuck on
the Cake and Got Broke up
Every thing was Good But the App
Apples was All spect with rot
I. Sopoes they Got frost Bitten
[page 2]
But Apples are so cheap heare you
Can buy them for 3 for 5 cts I. Sold
Some of mine 32. cts worth May Sell
More I. have Paid My Bills and Got
25 cts Left I. sent My Shirt and
Draws of[f] this moring by a Nigar
Woman to wash for 6 cts a a peace I.
thought it was Better then to wash myself
the Bugs I. have Got about Clear of
Senc Otis Left But they are regular
Pest Every Body haves them we
Got Better tent and I think it will
Better for our healtl there is 4 of us
Some have 5 wich is very much
Crowded we walk in and Stand
up in tent 3 or 4 at at time we Can
Sit round in tent talk. the drum
Beats at 6 oclock we anser our names
At quarter Past. Compny drill 10 to 11
Battalian drill 1 to 3. dress Praid
4 t. Satarday Sunday no Drill
But Dress Praide. Otis Box was
Nearly Spoilt. it was sold at
_________________________
it very Plessant and warm to day
[page 3]
Atucion it brought $2.00. the. Lt
Leons wanted me to dispoes of it
I. Put it Action. Lt. Said I.
Done well I. would not Given
50 ct. for it. Plum Puding Brown
Beard Whit Beard. Litle sugar
two Pies Moldy. And Some other
Little things. you dow as you
have a mind to about Sending a
Box I. doint feell right when
I. Eat that Buttur Because I
No that you want it Box Come
Rrght Straight thought I doint want
you to distress yourslef mr Goldblarst
had a Box twice as Big as mine so we
had a time. he had a Chees whole
one. 15. lb. 10. lb white sugar. 10 lb dried
Apples 6 mince Pies. and Lot other
whole Plum Pudding
things doint you think it to Bad for
A Poor man. the mince Pie was first
Rate the whole wash. Pie I. have
Not Coulod not you make one
Plum Puding tast Good here
[page 4]
I. Shall fiend no fast if
yow does not send it I think
We Shall Git Paid of[f] in bow
of A week for two mounths
the Boots fitted first rate
I Sold that Shirt for .200 I
did not Git the money but he
AGreed to Pay me in Course of
A week if we Git our Pay
I Shall shure Git it. I My
Shirts are almost Good as New
Otis fell and hurt him Coming
from Pickets he went to the
hosptial the and was Carred of[f]
that the Last I. heard from
him there was 6 oppxe Come to
the Co. and they Got M money
But I. dident Care things were
So Cheap I. Got your 29 Envelops & Pappes
But Not the Losengers by Maill
the Box had Not Ben opened
a. kss for All James Pratt
I shall write aGhain Sunday
And tell you what we suffrd in orther camp