No 21 Newport News feb 24st 1863
Va
Dear Wife I write to Let you No that I.
Am well and hope yow are the Same
We had hard Storm from Saturday Night
Till sunday Night it was bery Cold monday
To day it has Ben warm and Plesant
No I. was not sea Sick the warter was
Snow Clam Calm as Back river till
Wensday Moring before we Came up to
Forts Monroe I. Could not walk Straight
We dropt Ancor Neare the fort but did
Not Go a Shore it was a very Plesant
Excursan we are having Every thing
Conveant heare we have Got Prade
Ghround ther is No Inabatants here
Live heare for trade we are in a few
Miles of hamton Where William Got
that Belt that is a viliadge If I.
Stay heare Long I expect if I Stay all
Sumer I. Should weight 200 hundred
Should I. Like to see Peggy I should
Go many Steps. to se the Lovley Maiden
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As for Loyd and Dumbelhroing
whay there it is All humbug they
Drinked it themselfs I. no that they did
I do not Blame them At such times Loyd
Minds his one Bisunes and does not try to
Git Office he is my next neighbor Dumber
Iis a very Good man he ordly he sees to things
About the Co. And see to Cooking we All Like
Him I. think he will Go a Step higher all
The Lonneys drink it but Fred Bicknell
He does not. we have not had it but 7 times
We no had emy for tow three weeks. Col
Curuth. AGt. Wales. have Arived heare
Ho wer thken Prisnors at Sulpher springs
And have taken there oald Places
they are Prole Prissioners Exchangsed
What is it about the tought Stores
What does Dear Johney Say. how does
he no what his Letters Say a man that
Wrote for him told me. W he would say
to him What next Jhon. Deare Wife
And so through the Letter And Dear
Jhoney them that read them for him
Say thery foo[l]ish enough
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he is helping to Cook for the staff
With Cushing he feells Big I. tell
you he doint hardly speake to me
H. Cushing is in the Next tent
Shingng Shining Singhing the old tunes sound
Good it eveing I. am writing by candle
We have Plenty to eate Good tents
I. though I would not Give Francis
Einny thing out my Box he Pretends he
did not have much out my his
Box My housh wif I. have Got It now
knapsack I. do not make much use of it
It is to Limber but I. want to bring it
home and the testerment I. Got in Boston
It is strong I. did not no Father made
he Gave it all to Mother you Say that
Iis what made them so toping I think
they all knew it you or the Chirldren
have much right there as Eny of them
Wesday 24 we had a Gharand reviw
Of the whole 9th Armey Corps on our
Prade Ghround which is Big as Boston
Comom I. think there was ten thousands
soldirs