Camp Chase
May 9th 1862

My Dear Wife

It is with
pleasure that I now sit down to
write you a few lines to let you know
that I am well & hope these few lines
will find you the same I wish
you would write & let me know
if you got the picture of camp
Dennison I sent you by Geo Northway
I sent it by him the time I sent the
money the Officers say we will get
our money for the other two months
next Tuesday I now send you
a copple of my pictures
I had four taken I am agoing to
send one to Sophie & one to Margery
[page 2]
you can keep these if you want
the Boys have just come in from
dress Parade & say they colonel says
we will start for Wheeling Tuesday
but I dont know how it will be I
guess it wont make much odds
any way for the war will soon be
over if we get our pay Monday
I will express to you at Warren
without I have a good chance to send
it by some one as I did the other
I sent you a daily paper I hope the
war will close so I can be at home
the fourth of July & I dont know
but it will Horace Drew is some
sick but not bad thre is a good
many complaing here now it is
verry warm weather days & cold
nights there was another secesh
escaped from the Hospital last
night & one of the Secesh Niggroes
[page 3]
shot one of the infantry men last
sunday the nigger was fooling
with the gun & it went off
just as the man was going by
the shanty the large ball did not
hit him but the buck shot or one of them hit him
on the side of his nose & went through
his head to the skull on the back of the
head just above where the neck & the skull
meet it did not kill the man
he is getting better & the Doctor thinks
he will get well
Well Phebe I dont know but we
will go off from here & Ive gone
from home a good while but I cant
make it seem so to me but if I
am gone you must do the best you
canyou you have got money enough
to last a little while & I hope I
can send it as fast as I can
if we go into the field I am bound
[page 4]
to do my duty as a soldier
if I can & kill all the secesh I can
get a chance to Well I must
stop writing for the present
write soon & let me know
whether you get the pictures &
the rings I sent & how they fit
Yours as Ever
T M Covert