Camp Stevens Thibodaux Luziany feb 4/63

 

Dear Wife I thought I would rite you a letter it is wet to day so I will rite some dear lib I thought we had got to see another battle bot our men was so meny sick we are left how long we shal stay hear I dont know I thought I was a going to bee sick the docter give mee some medison and I feal better know when I sent your letter to you that man want ded then bot he died the next day we berid one of our men yesterday we got excused from drill and we all went to the grave you dont know him he come from friendship he was very young boy he was very carliss at the time we had the fight he had the momps and was excused by the sergant he would go inspite of all we could say he was affle good bot he would not take eny care of him self he was a ver strong boy for sotch a young boy dick jones dug the grave and Billy Waters and dick covered him up the watter was so deep in the grave they had to posh the coffin down in the water and hold it down with bords till they got dirt anough on it to to hold it down dear lib I dont know bot some will think I am foolish for riting how it is bot dear I will tell you jest how evry thing is we had one man in compy G he was from almond / his name is george simpson I will tell jest how he got kild he and some more went out to see if they could get some hens the boys hav had lots of fun a geting hens and geese I have ben a fraid some one would get shot because we cant trust these planters out of sight they say this man that shot him is a good union man and the nigers have stole all of his hens he sed if they come eny more he should shoot the first one he sed he thought it was a niger if wether he did nor not it remains onknown bot if he had ben tending to his duty he would of ben alive know he had a young ladies picture in his pocket she was very hansom she was a docters daughter they are a going to take him home they have poot him in a vault at tibodaux I wish you could go to the funerel when they bring him home he died yesterday the 3 we have got too more in the hospital sargent bottlars nephew he is a young boy he has had the tifoid feaver I think he is geting better Samule Smock of wellsville he very low bot if he has gould care I think he will get a long we have got too more in the compny had ought to go the hospital one bunks with abe his name is B F Pettis of scio he is very sick man the other mans name is J Genoung he lives up in the woods neighber to Hirom Berel / I guess barb will know him he has ben sick a good while sargent Shaw I guess he is a going to have the feaver he is going to thibodaux it will cost him abought 10 dolers a weak he thinks he had rather pay that than to go in the hospital here cap Vaughan has ben up there too days he has got better know lib when I first spelt the  name of this place I spelt it tipado that want right it is a french name the way to spel it is thibodaux thibodeaux

 

dear lib I have had some diner I had a good diner what do you think I had I had bean soop and some bread and I had a pie I gave a loaf of bread for it I will tell how it was maid I got it of a niger wench it was maid jest like a turnover jest abought as big as you would make one they take a eg or too and a sweet potato that is what they make them out of lib you might by som seet pota and make on som they have aple pies here bot they ask 25 cents a peace for them I can by dried aples for 12 cents a pound of our sutler candles is 10 cents a peace dear Lizeboth can you remember the time last some er when you bought some / dried aples that was a good game we was anough for him lib I have sold my revolver to lant spicer I think I don well I got 19 dolers for it he paid mee 10 dolers know and give mee his noat for the rest for 2 months lib what do you think abought it I had so motch to doo I could not take care of it dear lib I am learning to handle my gun affle fast the maiger drill us sargants a hour evry morning you tell mat I dont think he could doo motch with mee with the bayonet I can go thru with the baynet exersize jest as smart as a whip I let a niger have my clothes to wash yesterday he sed he would bring them back this morning and he haint come yet if he dont bring them back I shall be down on them worse than ever dear lib you cant tell how folish they are the white girles dont know eny more then the nigers our cavelry boyes sleep with the white girles evry night they wont refus enybody I haint sean a school house sence I come here I will rite some more to morow Hirom Berel is sick to day 

 

Feb 5

            Dear Lib I will finesh my letter we had a very hard storm last night the rane run threw our tent like a ridle it is very cold here to day thare was a man in comp G died this forenoon he want takeing out of his tent till after he was dead it beats all I ever see I dont think the docters are careful anough we have got three docters here they are from auburn Thare is one man in a G they dont think will live till night this man died to day is from almond his name is seth right. hirom berel has ben takeing salts he has took thre or fore doses he ses he has opend his batry know he ses he can shit fether then eny goose adum Huftailing is sick the boys say he is home sick bot I dont know he is a good praying man them is the ones that is fool of tricks you know lib I want you to send one of youre pictures to mee send a new one lib it is abought time you moved a way from where you are what doo you think you can go lib I want you to doo the best you can I expect a letter from you this after noon / bot will finish this letter and when I get one from you I will rite some more dear lib the boys have all draud dress coats I did not nead one my coat is jest as good as it was when you was in new york bot I got one the boys have all draud drawers and shirts and pance bot I my pance is good and clean I think a goodeal of that stripe you soad on for mee I shant get only jest a coat lib I bought mee a pound of dried aples I stued some for my diner. I give 12 cents for a pound you know I allwayes liked sauce on the table when you send my box to me I expect I shal get some sauce dear lib are you in want for eny thing I want you to rite to mee all abought how you feal and how you get along tell mee how netty is bless her little hart I feal very well to day I think we can whip the rebs yet my faith is good I shall be home in a little while lib I wish you and I could bee in our bedroom to night wouldent we have fun     from your Hosband

to his wife L Hakes

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