Camp Near Patrick Station March
14th
Dear Father I now sit down to try to
write yow a letter it is some time sinc I
wrote to you but yow will no doubt
excuse me on ocount of sickness I have
been sick for over too weeks post and
dident feel able to write we have had to
stay in the fort half of evry night sinc
this excitement has been there was three
nights that I was in the fort all night
the next night thay awakened me at
twelve when I got up I felt quite sleepy
and I took my ruber blonket up with me
and I laid down I slept about fore
hours when I got up I felt so cold and
chilly that it was a good while before
I knew what I was doing I caught a
bad cald and had a feaver and I have
been in my quarters ever sins I am
better now and am going to lack out
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a little better for my helth for I
find that it pais me got our pay march
3rd I was paid seventy too dollars I sent
seventy home by express and have got the
reciept I have got all that was [oven?] to
me but five dallars and Higgnis oued
me that I shal get it soon no doubt
I sent thirty five home yester day by
express and have got the reciept
there is five dallars of cloathing money due
me for last year but the pay roles was
for the wrong month and I shalnot
get it before next time it is good
when it does come I shall feel ancious
till I get an answer from that money
there is too packages there has been
verry much excitement down her about
the rebs makeing an atock but there is
nothing of it yet there in a good meny
deserters comes in to our lines
evry day I guess that the rebs ar not
as fast for fighting as thay used
to be it is getting plaid out
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there was considerable excitement in
the Battery about an act of congress letting
us out I was in hopes that it would pass
but it has not and it has not don us
any good there is one thing share that is
our time is out next fall I herd that
thay had arested James Engley ar at
leas I saw it in a provadense paper
There is goin to be a bounty Jumper
shot about a half a mile from here
at twelve I guess that I must go
and see it poor felow he was smart
but he got cought at last Jumping
bonteys is bad business I dont
wont to falow it we are haveing a
fine spell of wether here now we are
short of wood we have to go a good
ways after it we dont get any to much
to ate bwt we get along after a
pocion It makes a felow think now
and then of the table he left
I must close soon far my [hosid?] is
nervose I will write more next time
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give my love to all tell williom to
write and siss
yours in haste
John P. Campbell
a sogers
letter