Gregory^s Crossroads

Chesterfield County V^a

May 23^rd 1865.

 

My Dear Wife,

I was very much pleased yesterday on receiveing tow nice long letters from one that I love better then all the rest of the world combined. "the one of the 14^th and one of the 16^th" and now I will try and answer them in my stile, but you must not expect such a good letter from me as you wrote me on the 16^th for I cant begin to write such a letter. Yesterday morning I felt real home-sick but after I got those two letters from you I did^nt feel a bit home-sick. You wanted that I should be very particular and answer all of your questions. I will try to do so although I dont think some of them are worth answering. well I believe there is but one question and only one in yours of the 14^th and that is some-thing that Uncle Lovering saw in the news paper / about all of the N.H. soldiers going home by the first of June. well Ari I dont know any-thing about it any more then you do so that answers that question dont it honney. but I will tell you this that we shall probably get home inside of four months. now I will look in the next letter of the 16^th and see if there is any questions in that one. It strikes me that I saw quite a number if I mistake not. well well. I have found so many. whew. what shall I do. by ginger I will try it, trying never was beet but once. You wanted to know if those three Corps that passed here were going home. yes I guess so. the next is, do you think that you will have to stay out there till your time is out. "No". the next, will Serg^t Morrison get his discharge, yes of course he will if he lives long enough but when I cant tell, probably before this time. "the next." Serg^t Winn is in camp. I will tell him about that picture the first time that I see him. "the next", about that picture of Gen Burnham. the Capt was going / to let me have it but when I got back from my furlough he had sold them all. he thought that I had one of them and had taken it home with me. now I dont think that I can get one. "the next" No Ari the men that are here with me are not from my Co. not one of them. the next. tell Hannah that Mr Bean is with the Regt. doing duty. the next about my asking By to coax you not to go to the Depot. Yes, I did ask him to, but why did you want to know it. what good will it do you now it is past and gone. the next. Apple Jack is Brandy made of apple cider. it is distilled twice and makes what thay call Apple Brandy or Apple Jack. (my pen is verry poor.) the next about coming out South to live. I will answer that after I get home the next. dont I wish that I was not married so I could get one of the F.F.V^s. you saucy thing you know better then ask such a question as that / the next. why my letters do not go any quicker because I have to keep them two or three days before I can get a chance to send them to the mail, the same as you do some-times. I may get home my-self now before you get this letter, for two of the boys have just come from camp and thay say that we are to start next Friday for Washington. if we do I will write you a line or two. think of us Ari marching away to Washington 140 miles in the hot sun. "the next." what are we going to do with old Jeff. hang him I guess. the next about what the South think of the North &c. those are too hard questions for me to answer time will tell. the next. yes Ari we have a plenty of birds out here. what did the Bobolink say when he sat on the top of the tree. pleas answer. the next. no Ari that strange mixture of nothing is not any too long. I like to read all about nothing that you write. the next. yes Ari I will write just as often as I can (there by jolly) 

 

There Ari I believe that I have answered all of your questions to the best of my ability. can you think of any more to ask? if you can spit them out in the next letter you write to me. The six Corps waggon train passed here last Saturday and with it thay had a herd of cattle numbering 275 head and thay stopped here all night so thay kept me up all night and I tell you I was tired when morning came. so I have just got over it. that is the reason that I have not wrote you before.

 

            Now I am going to ask questions. what is the matter with Hattie? has she got a fever or what. tell her to mind and not get cold for it may go back on her. then you think that she and Beze will take the oath of alligeiance to the Union. well tell her it is a good time for almost every-body out this way are joining the union. / When you see Bezaleel tell him to mind how he carries sail around the Little River girls or I shall have to welt him worse then Bob Shapley did once. "Give my love to the pair."

 

                        Ari wont it seem kinder funny if I should get home between now and the fourth of July. what would you do if I should happen to come home some dark night after you had gone to bed. would you get up and let me in if I should happen to be loucy. I guess you would say go out to the barn and stop to night, then in the morning I can scold you as I did when you come home in March. do you think that you could sleep sound Ari. only think of it you in the house a bed and could^nt sleep and me out in the barn on the hay sleeping as sound as a nut, only disterbed now and then by a bite from a louce or perhaps a flea. but I guess that flea would be a large one about as large as I am, I reckon. / You say perhaps I could find a girl out here that I should love better then you. Ari I have never seen that one yet nor never shall if I live a thousand years whitch "I dont expect to live more then half of it." Ari do you think that I have any love for the girls out here but I dont mean love. do you think that I am a bad boy around the girls out here (I dont believe you do.) if you could put the confidence in me that I do in you I know that that thing never would come into your head about getting all of the good things, I mean to eat. but I cant think that you thought of such a thing, not but what there is a good reason for you to think so and besids a good chance for me to do so. but that one thing I never was guilty of nor never intend to be, if I have been guilty of every-thing else in this world. but enough of this. if you will trust me as long as I will you there wont be any trubble. do you mind that now. / I suppose you will say that you only have my word for what I have written but I love you too well to do such a thing as that Ari, if I am almost a thousand miles from home.

 

How dose Elmer get along, is he much sick. take good care of him a little while longer for it wont be long at the longest before I shall be at home to help take care of him. Give my love to him and kiss him for papa. my love to Mother and tell her that the boy is coming home again as I told her when I enlisted. Give my regards to all hands, that is the shortest way for me to get at it there is so many of them, I reckon. I will close for I think I wrote enough mixed up nothing. I remain your (I wont say what kind of a) Husband in the Army of the James.

Serg^t S. B. Tarlton.

SOURCES