Camp Bowers 13^th N. H. Volunteers near Portsmouth Va

10 A.M. Sunday June 7^th A. D. 1863.

 

Dear Wife I seat myself this pleasant morning to write a few lines to you to inform you that I received your kind and ever welcome letter of Last Sunday night before last and was most happy to hear from you once more and also to hear that you were well. I should have written to you yesterday but I was on guard and I had sent a letter to you the same day that i received yours in the afternoon so I thought I might as well let it go until today and then write all the news that I could think of which will not be much any way but i got a letter from Warren Hall a few days ago and one from Andrew Evans the same day and Andrew says "if the draft comes" he thinks "the people of old Barnstead will fight" but I laughed at him a little about the "one hundred death dealing revolvers" that he said have come into the town of B. since last March Elections and I think if they are all such fighting men as two that he mentions as having revolvers (D. H. Evans & H. G. Willey by the way don't let any one see those names) that the town of Barnstead numbers among its defenders some men of as weak a nerve as I am and I think I should as lief fight / a dozen or so of them as not if I were only armed with a good sized tobacco pipe and I think I could frighten them nearly out of their wits even with that and I think of the lot they would be in the most dangerous situation I dont say that because I think myself so much stronger nerved than they but because I know the men and know that the reason why they have procured those pistols is because they are cowards and will not fight for their countrys cause. Such men as those should remember that "every citizen owes allegiance to the land" and the law that will not see itself enforced is but an ineficient article and not worthy of a place in the Archives of "our once glorious union". Well that came very near exausting (beautiful spelling) me to get all that off so I shall have to stop and think of something else and while I am thinking I guess I'll light my pipe and smoke a little so good bye for a few moments and I remain yours Joe.

 

Well I am writing again and this time I have got a table and Lem and I are having a grand time writing on it. By the way it is a table that was left here yesterday by a pedlar and it was left in the care of Company Fs cook so we just borrowed it to write on and really I dont hardly know how to go to work to write upon it because I have not / had a chance to write upon a table for so long that I have almost forgotten that I ever knew how to write upon a table at all. Well E. H. Leslie is lying on the bunk fast asleep but he turned over a few moments ago and seeing me writing said "give my best respects to your wife Joe" and Lem sends his also. By the way Lem and I are coming in to visit your school when we can (I meant to have said if) make it convenient. By the way new potatoes are allmost (I have got an extra L in there you can easily see) [drawing of pointing hand] large enough to draw and we intend to draw some soon. Well I have just got through with my dinner we had baked beans for dinner today and it seemed almost like N. H. to have baked beans Sunday. But I could enjoy myself better if I could see you and sit beside you for a few moments than I can in an age out here. By the way we have been mustered into the service almost nine months and it has seemed as if it was as many years since I saw you last the time has passed so slow since I last saw you. Well Charles Woodman has come in and is now sitting beside me writing to an old friend of his in Strafford and says "give my love to Sarah and Isa and ask them if they are going to New Market / next Saturday". Oh how I should like to drop in some day when least expected and see you engaged in your tasks of "teaching the young idea how to shoot". I reckon I should "right smart" and have a good time too if seeing you was the only chance of enjoying myself I should be perfectly happy for I could enjoy myself better than in any other way by sitting beside you once more and I hope that ere long I may have the chance of doing that same thing and doubly enjoy myself by knowing that this infernal war has closed and peace reigns over this unhappy country and also that I am once more beside my darling wife. Well I am afraid you will think I am getting homesick and I guess you would not be far from right. Well I have been vaccinated twice and it did not take either time and I dont think that I shall try it again as it would be of no use for I dont think it would take if I should try it fifty times and then try it once more. I am very glad to hear that John Hayes was not hurt much but it was a very narrow chance for him the Reg got cut up so badly. That wound of Amaziahs was not in the least a

 

[interwritten upside down]

 

dangerous one as it cut none of the cords or arteries of the leg but in passing between the bone and the cord of the leg it pressed the cord against the main artery and thus stopped the blood from circulating to the foot and caused mortification which if it had been attended to by those that had known anything about it his leg might have been taken off below the knee and his life been saved which would have been much better than to have had such fools to take care of men as we have got in this Reg for I believe that Doctor Sullivan knows no more about the science of medicine and surgical instruments than your humble servant J. H. Prime and I studied medicine a whole week once when I was not at work. By the way I am sorry for Miss Florilla Clough to think that she has lost her beau and hope she will have better luck in future. Well you said that you had a very warm day the day that you wrote your letter but if you could have some of the hot days that we have out here when we cant lie down in the shade without sweating. Well it is quite a cool day today and I must close soon not for want of room because there is room / enough and to spare but E. H. Leslie is waiting to carry this to the office so give my best to all keep a large share for yourself beside any quantity of kisses to you from one who loves you above all others in the wide world from Joe

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