[No date, ca. March 1865]

Hiram Finton
To My Beloved wife Priscillia Finton
Camp Carington
Indianapolis Ind
Dear and Beloved Wife. this
morning I take my Pen in hand
to tell you that I am in camp
Safe and Sound and I assure
you I am a good deal Hapyer
now than I was when I started
home. Wee got Back without
the leas Bit of trouble wee
got here yesterday Evening at 5
oclock wee Both jumped off
the train Before wee got near
the Depot it always Runs slow
through town after wee got off
the train wee went up towards
camp and wee hapened to meet
one of our Sargents and wee
told him how the thing was <hie?> and
took us to the gate and told
the guards a fiew very plausible lies
[page 2]
and they passed us though into
Camp without us saying a word
Thee Stood close in Sid a watching
For us I think wee are the
luckiest dogs that has Been out
yet there was severl of our
Boys Started after wee did
But got Brot Back after they
had got 30 or 40 miles away from
Camp it was raining hard
when wee left Pierceton Before
wee got to wanataw it was
snowing like all Rip and the
snow was a bout an inch deep
and after wee got fifty or sixty miles
from there it has not rained or snowed
any at all and when wee got to
Camp wee found the streets
nice and Dry and the weather
fine tell Pheeby that I carried
her kiss very nicely and
Deposited it on Theadores Cheek about
a half inch above his mustch
[page 3]
and the sugar and likeness and
letter in his hand thee is Beter
than he was when wee went away
tell Mrs Click that henry
is well and he was glad to get
his Sugar now I must lay this
letter a way and go with the
rest to Drill and then I will
Finishe it. Well I have Been out
Drilling for a bout half hour and
now I am Back again and finishing
this little Epistle the Boys was
glad to See us get Back safe
wee have had our Rations increa
sed sens wee went away and
now wee get more than can
Eat Buckly is not very well
But I think it nothing more than
a cold that ails him I Expect our
Regiment will leave here a wednes
day or thursday when you go to murrays
to trade. trade with with Sam Snider
if you can
[page 4]
now Priscillia If you can
content yourself and not fret
your self about me I can Enjoy
myself well wee have got first
rate officers now try and take
care of your self and I no you
will have plenty of help and plenty
of friends Now Sarah a fiew to
you I have a sly hint that you was
a going to leave there now if you
do I can never for give you if you
do go it will only make your jealous
friends spout the Biger She is not
a hurting your credit one Bit But
She is a doing her Self a Damage
that will never Be Rubed out
if the little young Americas Does
fight a little let them harden those
mussles while they are young it <would?>
<last?> them a bit now I will
Say to Both of you try manage
the very Best you can for your
selves and for me good By for
time Hiram Fintion
[upside down in top margin of page 1]
Direct as before Co D. 152 Regt