November the 22 1861
Dear Father I now
take the opportunity of writing
you a fiew lines in answer
to the three letters that I
have received cince I have wroat
one to you the reason that I
have not wroat to you Sooner
is that I have bin Sick
and was not able to writ
at all I have the mumps and
Something like the Billeos
feaver ther was but 3 or 4 days
that I could not be up and about
I have got about well now
But I am tollarble weak I have
Not bin on duty for nearley
three weeks I think that I
wil be ready for duty in a fiew
days I had a Strong notion of
writing for you to come out
hier but I did not it will
cost So much for you to come that I
thought I would try and get along
with out you coming it would
cost 30 or 40 Dollar for you [???]
[page 2]
we went down to the Battery
a bout three weeks ago and it
rained all knight on us we had
our blankets with us but we had
no place to sit nor lie so I stood
around a little fire all knight
next morning it Still kep
raining and we Started to the
camp threw the rain and mud
we come on about a half a mile
to a creek that was about 75 or a 100
yards across we waided it
it was about knee deepe we then
come on the mud was over my
shoos we come on to Dumfries
the creek their was up we Just
piched in to it like it was
not deep nor coald it was nearley
waist deep and very coald
I come on a ladle further and
stoped for I was give out and
have not bin well cince
but I am a geting better now
we have went threw a great many
hard ships cince we left home
and I expect that we will have to
go threw a good many more before
we get back
[page 3]
I have a heap to tell you if
I could See you but I am in a
bad fix to writ now I have bin
sick so much that my mind so
confused that I can not do any
good at writing there is a great deal
of sickness hier yet but not as
much as ther was some time ago
I have seene three corps caired
to the graive yard at one time
onece at camp Jones and once hier
I have no Idea how many of this
Regiment have died but ther has
a good many Died a heap more than
was killed in the battle
I am a looking for another on
every day the old cannons
are roaring on our rite and on our
left and in frunt So they
nearley al around us there is
hard ley an hour in the day
but we hair them Some place
they have bin firing up the
river for the last three or four days
and are at it to day I would
like if they would go home and
let us do the Same but I expect
[page 4]
they will keep us hier a good
while yet I believe that this
war is just commenced now
I would not be supprised
if it would hold on three
or four yeas but I do hop that
it will Stop before one yeare
roles around frome the time that
we left home it wil Soone
be Six months cince I have bin
in to it and I am very tierd
of it now if we have to stay
a year or too we will hardley
know how to do if we would
get to go home now but if we
have to stay 3 or 4 years it will
be worse
I would like the best Sort
to go home a christmas but
there is no chance for going
home now they ar expecting
the Yankees to break in on us
every day now and they
will not let any one go off
now at all I would like for
you to come out and see me
some time this winter if
you can but it wil cost
too much for so little noth[?]