Saturday Dec 12^th 1863

 

Convalescent Camp Virginia

My dear Sarah

            I take my pen this morning to addresse a few lines to you to let you know how I got along on my return to this Camp from the time which I left you on the morning of Tuesday latst that morning which I left you and Mary at home when I arived at the stage office in brookville the Kettaning stage had started about one hour before I got down to town I therefore had to wait in Brookville to about seven oclock in the morning and go in the Indiana hack we arived in Punssetawny that same day by noone lay over in Punxsetawny to wendsday morning arived in Indiana about one half after three oclock in the after noon took the Carrs at four/oclock that evening arived in Harrisburg about two oclock that nite lay over in harrisburgh about one hour then took the Baltimore and Ohio Rail road to Baltimore and on wendsdy Thirsday morning about six oclock in the morning six of the frunt Cars of the train which I was on run of the track and smashed up six of the forward Cars very bad They ware all broke to pieces and piled up on each other higher then a four story house These trains Cars which run of the track was all filed with horses and flower for the Army they ware some of the horses kild and a great many of them cripled and stove up. So that thy will neve be of any use, also thy ware a great many of the flower barrels smashed and broke and a great deal of the flower lost. The passenegres train Cars was in the Rear of the train/and fortunally we excaped without any ingury to any of the passonegers This misfortain hapened near to Kockeysville in Maryland and near to the place whare we had our Camp the first four months after I entred the Army and about twenty miles from Baltimore this misfortain detained us from 6 oclke on Wendsdy Thirsday morning to about 4 in the after noone at which time we started again and arived safe in Washington Citty about eight oclock That same evening I staid in Washington that nite and walked from there down to this camp on yesterday which was friday and reported my self returned at hedquarters and so I am all write again. dear Mussy I arived at home here in my usial good health which I am very thankfull for and I do hope my dear Mussy/that this letter will find you and Mary Thompson and hir famly as well as all the rest of the friends engoying also good health Thy have been nothing new happened in this Camp since I left it the boys ware all glad to sea me back I hold my old posision in Camp as I did before I left it to go home

I ad no more at present but close by sending my affectinate love to you my dear Sarah. Please give my love to Oliver and Mary Thompson and to hir children and remember me to them

also give my love and respicts to grand pap Clements also to Peggy and Elisa also to Robt. & Jo^s Clements and please give my love to Elia and Mary Snider and famly I now bid you good by my dear Mussy for the present. I forgot to tell you that on my return to this camp I received your letter and two newspapers I did not receive the letter which Mary had sent to me. I send you 25 sweet kises dear Mussy. W.Rodgers to Sarah Rodgers

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