[blue pencil: Gen Grant]

Hd. Qrs. Sharp Shooters

Sept. 9^th 1864

 

            Dear Sister

                                    I rec^d your letter last evening with the money enclosed. Glad to hear from home I see in last nights paper that Sec't Seward says there will be no draft. I suppose that relieves Mother and John to say nothing about the rest of you. I am glad to hear it to. This morning is cloudy, rained a little last night. Every thing is quiet here. I suppose we are in Butlers command now. I dont know any thing about the pickets being driven in that you speak of A good feeling prevails here between the pickets. no firing at all. They have strict orders / on both sides about getting together or holding any communication. After all there is a continual correspondence going on. Wrap a stone or a bullet up in the paper and it goes from one line to the other. The boys have a pretty easy time here. They (the Regt) went out last night for the third time since we came. This company is doing nothing no picket. It has been reduced to nearly 50 men by order of Gen Ames. The boys are receiving target rifles pretty fast now. Have got quite a number in the company now.

 

My knapsack came this week found every thing in it all right My shirt I kept with me when I sent my knapsack away is about worn out, very thin. I have drawn one Gov shirt but / it is so short I cant keep it in my pants. I think you had better make me a pair of shirts and have them ready to send when I write. I think I shall need them sometime in Oct. it will depend on our situation. I have got an overcoat and woolen blanket besides a large comforter I got out of the Howlett House last may. I had the good luck to get it in with the Officers baggage and it was drawn around for me. Our tent is all open except the back end and the sides are boarded up as far down as our bunks. Get plenty of fresh air. The nights are quite cool now, but I sleep as warm and rest as well as I could at home in bed. We have had good news during the last week. / The victory at Atlanta must encourage enlistments much That will help us. One thing the soldiers dont like is the sending of Agents to the slave states to recruit niggers to fill the quotas of their native state It does look as if the people at home were rather going back on us we we want the quota filled by men of the state either white or black and all the niggers we can get from the south (the more the better) we want thrown in extra

 

I wish you could send me a copy of the election law (for soldiers) it must be in some of your old papers My Post comes yet but the Times runs out the 11^th inst. I believe Lincoln will be elected if we continue to gain in the Army we surely will I had the pleasure of saluting Gen Grant and having the saluted in returned the other day Send me a box of pills I thought I had some in my knapsack have not took one since last spring

 

Love to all                                                      

Yours &c

                                                                                   

C E Reed

 

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The Mt Rifles are close by here Almeron and Will D— have been over here and I have been over there The tomatoes were first rate. This P.M. is pleasant & hot.

 

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The Sergt with me is a strong Lincoln man

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