[ Indiana Branch U. S. Christian Commission, ]

Indianapolis April 21 1865
Dear wife it is with the greatest
of pleasure that I will hereby informe
you that I am in good health
and I do hope that these fiew
lines may find you and the little
ones all well I did not calculate
to write to you until sunday as I
did send you a tolerable <lite?> one
Day before yesterday But I have a little
leasure time and I thought I
would write you a fiew lines and
send it a long with Sarahs letter
I find on looking a round that this
is a nicer Camping ground than
I thought it was at first But
I Expect we will not stay here
very long I think that wee will
have to Do guard Duty the Balance
of our year as there will Be
a good Deal of that to Do
[page 2]
the Boys are all well and
harty Except Henry Klick he has
the chill and fever he is not in
the Hospital But he is not
Able to Drill any if Bucley has
come hom and is able to come
Back to his Regt I want <you?>
to send you picturs with him
tell Mr Shetler to send me
a fiew lines if he pleases I
wrote him a letter some time
a go But have not got any answer
yet I was told By some of the
Officers that the mail would get
here sooner to have them sent
By the city of Washington But I
have not got a letter sens I told
you to Direct that way I will now
Bring my scribling to a close
so no more But I remain your Ever
loving Husband til Death
Hiram Finton
to Mrs Priscillia Finton
[added upside down at top of page and in the left margin]
after you write me a letter then
Kiss the little ones for me
and then I will Be in Debt to you that mutch and
I will pay it on Demand when convenient