[1] the nat capatel at wasington
washington october 2 1861
my Dear wife i take the pleasur
of wrighting a few lines to
let you now that we are
all well and in the best of
spirits hoping this will finde
you all the same we left
camp grimes a [t???] [???] [2]
and arived at wasington in
the after noone we are incamped
on the bladens burg road
about half a mile [3] from the
capetel we now not how
long we are to stay h[eer?]
[page 2]
it is rumerd that we are to
gow to verginnia but we now
not ware we are to gow to the boys
was glad when thay hard of
our victory at mon[?]in hill
our Cumpneay got pade of[f] or
parts pade thay only got
pade fore fifteen days
keeping 1 month back sum
of our boys get the most
of us has not the captan
says he will make it all
right the pay role is not
right. thay say we are only
to be pade every tow months
the boys are pretty merry
since thay got pade off
thare is a good menney drunk
i expect the garde house
will be full to night
if bill gets pade off while
we are in hear he will get
his likness took
[page 3]
he expects to get it in a
day or tow. Col young
has just cominto our camp
he says thay are trying to
worke him out i expect
you got my letter dated
the 30th in i want you to answer
it bill got Johns letter
just when i maled my
last letter i only wright
these few liness to let you
now that we got back
safe stillwell is with
capten bell on arlington
hights he was well when
i las sean him i think
shall se him in a few
days if things be true
thay say the whole
rigment is to be to geather
in a few days thair is
fore companes of us to
geather now
[page 4]
giv my respects to all
the fokes tel them we
are in the best of helth
and spirets
you say it givet you
grate pleasure to read
my letters it allso gives
me pleasure to wright
them giv my respects
to our children
tell Ritcheard
to wright and
let me now
how thay are giting
along tell [Henery?]
he must wright and
let me now how thins
are going
your efecnate Husband
William Band