Direct your letters to Co A 57 Reg P V
Heintselmans Division Va

Alexandria Feb 23st 1862
Dear Wife
It Seams long
time Since I wrote to any one even
to you So to day I guess I will write
I have no great news to write only that
we have moved from the place that we
were Some eleven miles we are now below
the place our friends fled after the batle
of Bulls run we marched through the
place where Colonel Ellsworth was killed
for tearing down the Rebels Flag it is an
nice town you may as well believe that
we had a hard march the mud was
full half knee deep all the way but
through Washington and Alexandria
there they was walks So we get along
better through those places but there
was enough mud the rest of the way
to make it up it was almost night
when we arrived here then we had to
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pitch our tents which took us till dark
and as tiered Set as ever you See we spred
our blankets on the mud and Watter and
laid down to Sleep Such a place to Sleep
would made a chicken hearted person
grunt but my Self felt greatly refreshed
after our nights Sleep I think that three
months before this I Should have given
up with Such a march but I Stood it as
good as the best and I think I could
Stand annother just Such a tramp again
if it was neccessary necessary perhapse
we shall have to take Such a tramp again
for we must go out on Picket duty this
week perhapse I Shall not go out myself
although the Reg will go out the most of them
but if I go out I shall go out as a scouting
party but I do not wish to go out as Such
a party as long as it is So mudy for
it makes hard traveling for a person
to carry a knapsack weighing about
forty pounds besides our gun with
the whole it is a lode for a person
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even it if it is dry and I am Sure it is
when mudy I guess I have Said
enough about marching or about
any thing else for I am getting
tiered of Setting So I will go out on
a tramp with our orderly Sergent
for this Setting Still is Something I am
not used to Since I tried to play Soldier
this is a gay life well followed for
I a person wants to be a Stiring
for he gets impatient Setting Still
So much as he is obliged to for it is
so mudy that a person cant move
much at the best You wrote that you
must pay Comelia for her paying
the transportation of those luxries that
were sent us to Washington as for that
you need not pay for I have paid John
my half of the transportation and have
lent him eight dollars besides or at
least he has used it of my money I
let him take it to keep for me for
I had no pocket Book to keep it
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in if he went into a speckulation he
and annother person and one of them
Spent five dollars of my money and
John Spent eight So it makes thirn-
teen dollars they both owe me I guess the
next time I draw my money I will
keep it and that will be the first of
March they are making out the
pay roll now how soon we shall
get our pay is more than I can
say but we are Sure the first or at
least before the midle of the month
undoubtedly you have recieved that
money I sent by Philo Sherwood
before this you may do what you think
best with it keep it or spend it
just as you please any how spend
as much as you as you please do not
scrimp your self for any thing be
Sure and keep enough by you to get
you a drink if you Should need it
we can get plenty of it when we
move from place to place but no
other time but and then I do not care about it then