Springfield Mo Jan 2^d 1863

At my old boarding house I remain

                       

Dear Wife you will look for a letter so I will give you a short history of my trip I came through to St Louis in fair time but staying at the St Nicolas I took cold & I was verry unwell all night with chill & fever as usual but I went to bed early & took a good sweat & in the morning felt much better & so feel well all the way only sore & stiff in my knees we were near 2 days comeing from Rolla as the stage does not run at night as the roads are so rough & full of chucks Other wise they were good or fare I do not feel well to day from some cause my stomache hurts me some is all I think hot buiscuit / as I have had but little els Milk I shall abandon as well as strong coffe of which I get but little or none good

 

I do not now know just when I will go South yet if I had been one day sooner I should have gone with a lot of the regiment that started out then Now I think I will wait for Col Orme as he is to be back in a week or less & he has an ambulance at Rolla & will stop here & I feel as if that much rest will not hurt me so I will write you again before I leave It rained here all last night & was verry muddy but the sun is bright & wind high & warm Moses Moulton left on the 30^th for the army with many others there are some 6 or 7 of our company here yet the 2 busicks one york Sutton James Campbell others I have not / heard their names if any more We met about 25 on their way to St Louis that will be discharged there I presume I have my doubts about the Busicks both being sick as they are to much alike Sutton I have not seen but will as soon as I finish this

 

People know no more of the boys than we do not so much

 

Tim Owen is still here in the Q.R.M.s department

 

Evry thing seems the same here as when I left & you know how that was I was at the old camp this morning it is all deserted & looks like a burnt village with chimneys standing There are not many troops here now The 18 Ioway that left home with over 800 men now have only 300 fit for duty they are on guard here now 

 

The small pox is quite bad among the Secesh prisoners 8 have been sent beyond the lines of pickets to a post hospital There are some danger of its scattering from them So I shall keep shy of them as I have seen enough of them any how If any thing of interest occur I will write again as time will drag slow until I can go to the regiment when an almost perfect barrier will be between us as is the case of the rest But remember I allways tell you the worst that may befall me so be of good cheer & hope to meet & see better days than separation brings.

 

2 men of Co H are in jail here those are all of the Regiment ever in jail With this unpleasant notice I will close my letter        

                                 

To my ever loving Sarah                                                                                                  

O Barnard

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