Palmouth Oct. 12 1862


Dear Cousin


I take my

pen in hand

to let you
know for the first time how
I am getting along We are
well and I hope these few
lines may find you all the
same we left Indipendance
thersday at eleven oclock and
got here yester day evening
We are camped cloe to the
town of Palmouth on the
licken river cloce by the rail
road the cars dont run on it now
for the rebles has burnt
down the bridge across the river
[page 2]
We herd this morning that
we were agoing to stay here
til they would get the bridge
put up and we were a going
away on the rail rode I do not
know how tru it is, I would
like to be at home this morning
to go to meeting for we have
no sunday here some of the men
are out drilling and some of them
a gamling and taring around
like it was not sunday
It was good luck that Uncle
Stephen was not drafted for
he could not have left home
We have plenty to eat we
have crackers to eat that it
would take a man six feet high
with sledge hammer and anville
to brake them. (so the boys says.)

I stood the march verry well.
we had to marth up hills
[page 3]
ahalf mile long I tell you
now it tried our pluck all
along the rode there was men
that had given out
Wert we had to carry lode
on our backs that would
weigh fifty or sixty pounds
it made the swet role
I suppose you herd that
we wer in Cincinnati I saw
most of the citty,

I saw Mis Yost I was
supprised to see one that I
new in such a big place,
Write and tel me how the men
liked to leve that was drafted

Pleas ask Uncle Stephen
witch regmont Hen Shafer is in
and what company and
let me know
[page 4]
Now I have told you all
the news so I must leave
of write soon

Stephen Johnston

PS Direct to me to the
118 reg co C in care of Capt
Stone O.V.I