Fort Albany July the 15 1864

 

Sister Libie

I recieved your kind leter some time ago and was very glad to hear from you to hear you was enjoying good health I thought it a bout time to write a fiew lines in answer to your cind letter to let you know how I am geting along I hav not had verry good health for a while back as I and 13 more of our company was garding comisary stores and it being write by a big swamp close to the patomac R and being so dry that thar become a green scome all ove it and we hav all bin sick with the intermiting feaver but one I was not sick more than a week till I got it brok / up altho I hav some headache to day but we hav come away from that phar plac fort albany is a healthy place I recieved a let from Jane a sonday she said she was well at presant but had bin having the chills again I wish she was well of them chills I could content myself a goodeel better but she must be very lonesom thare all a lone we hav had a quite a raid hear by the rebs they was a going to take our capital away from us but we would not agree to it thar was some pretty sharp fighting about six miles from hear thay tore up all the railrode thay stole evry thin they could get a holt of and then skedadled but they don a site of damage in mariland how long is this cruel war a going to last no one knows / but it looks as darke to me as it did a year ago but we are all loocking to old grant and hoping that he will take wrichmond but if he has to fall back a can take wrichmond I think the nort will begin to get discourage I will begin to thin a if grant cant take that place with the army that he has got now that this war will never end by fighting but we hav nuthing to do but to fight them til providance shal turn and ever till his desines shal be accompish for witch this war was sent but I hope and pray that it will not be long till this bloddy war will clos when all can retourn home to welcom thare friend an enjoy one another society and liv in piece as thay did once before well to change the subjeck sam is well and harty he stands it firstrate we are all aloock forward / to the end of our hundred day we hav counted them we hav 34 day yet from the time we we are mustard in 25 from the time we started out but I thin we will start home in about 30 days from today that will be about the 15 of oggust I gess we will be hom in time to hav a god time when you com on your viset to radnor I rote a letter to your old man a han and Mary a bout six weaks a go but hav not had any answer I do not know wether thay got my letter or not I would like to be at hom now to cut my harvest but I hav to leave it to the mercy of sombody els well I gess I will hav to bring my letter to a close for this time

 

hop that I shal hav the privleg of seeing you all before long write son take god care of your self I hav not hurd but one sermon preach since I hav bin out

 

no more your affectionaly John T Arnold      pardon all mistakes

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