Marine Hospital N.O. L'a. Jan 14^th/64

 

Dear Wife

            acording to promise I will write a short letter to you again before the mail leaves here Saturday although I have nothing new to write. But simply to let you know how I am. My health is about the same that it has been for the last two or three times of my writing & not much change I have had a bad cold for about three weeks back but that is leaving me now and as the weather becomes settled I think that I shall improve faster and I hope get entirely well and be healthy again. We have had a fine day to day as warm as april weather but it is very muddy here now but it will soon dry up if it continues fair weather for a few days longer. It has been stormy and wet so long that I am glad to see fair weather again for I want to go out out side again for during the rain I have stayed close to the house 

 

            I am looking for our Regiment down here to the city for to get their new equipments for they are turned in to Heavy Artilery and are going to garison some fort I do not recolect the name of it. they will probably stay there the ballance of their time. Colonel Dwight has gone home for to get recruits so as to fill up the Regiment to 1200. he started yesterday morning from here for the North for that purpose

 

            Heavy Artilery is the best part of the army for there is but very little marching and when they do march they do not have to go on foot and carry their knapsack on their back until they are tired out, and then they have good comfortable quarters and most always have better living and go on horse back instead of on foot. When they get settled in their quarters and the weather gets warm I shall go to the regiment unless the doctor sends me before then which I guess he will not do yet awhile but as long as the present wet nasty weather lasts I had rather stay here where I am 

 

            I have not been paid yet and cannot tell when I shall be but I hope before long for I want to send you some money for you must need it pretty bad by this time I will send it just as soon as I can after I get it

 

            I send you an other ring in this letter if the last one that I sent does not fit Mrs Heath perhaps this one will you may give her her choice of the two or if you like them better than you do yours you can let her have yours and keep these for yourself this will make six in all that I have sent you or four to you and two to the children. I have two or three more that I shall send you if I do not get a chance to sell them here pretty soon for I do not want to carry them in my pocket all the time for I shall wear them out after a while

 

            But I have written about all that I have to write to night and will stop for this time hoping that you are well and get my letters           

 

Yours &c        L. V. Tucker

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