the
Gloucester Point March 22 1863
Dear Mary I will try and write
a few lines to you to let you know
that you are not forgotten I would
like to have the privilege of converse
ing with you at home I could do
beter then with the pen if nothing
happens it will not be long I shal
have the privilege of seeing you
my health is good may this find
you enjoying the same blessing
we have had the worst storm
for a few days that we have had
since we left home it comenced
snowing thursday it has snowed and
rained all the time till this morning
it has come off pleasant and warm
some soft under foot it is not
often you see aworst storm in
old Pa it come from the north
east the snow was aboute one foot
deep in the woods in drifts in the fields
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we have had considerable excitement
heare for the last month we expected
to be atacted evry night we had orders
to be ready at a moments warning anu
mber of nights we slept with our close
on some times I most wished they would
come I wanted to heare the musick
they encamped one night aboute one
mile from our pickit lines I guess
had not pluck enough to come m
young Lees cavelry that was heare
I saw in the last paper that our
cavelry had give him a good thrashing
I hope they have we do not want
him down heare keepens ous up
nights I like to sleepe to well
a fellow gits most awful lasy
heare I hardly know what to
write to day I did expect one
from you last evning but it
did not come it will be heare
this evning it has not missed
for some time I will not finish
till evning
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good evning Mary the mail
does not bring a letter for me
it had not missed for along
time I shal half to finish this
it will be hard work to find
enough but will do the best
I can it is the gratest plase for
news you ever saw but is not the
right kind if half was true the war
would have been ended long a goe
the boys are eager to have something
done so we can see a glimce of
sun shine it has been dark long
enough it seems as tho we must
do some thing or nothing before
long if we could gone 1 or 2 good
victries before the draft it would
be a good thing I am afraid thaire
will be trouble in some parts I
hope they will shoot the first one
that tryes to hinder it I want to
see the thing finished up right
or not a tol thair is not a drop
of democrat blood in me
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thair is some talk of our going
back to Pits burgh for Provost guards
and drill the new tropes I wish it
was so but do not believe it I think
we could do a good job we like
to start anew lot for the land of
dixie cornel Smith is comander of
camp how yet he says he will
take ous back thair if they need
soldiers to enforce the draft we would
like no beter funn I think I have
wrote noncence enough for this
time I will try and do better next
time I do not write many letters
now I send you one evry weeke
you must writ as often or oftener
if you can find any thing to write
one word to my Charley boy tell
him to be a good boy and help
grand pa work this summer I will
send my picter in my next letter
we have one heare now the first one
we have had I chould have sent it
before if I could have got a good one
I send my love to you all
this from your Lyman
Mary