Camp Beaver Nov 31^st 1862

Dear Sarah I received your last letter dated 22^nd Nov I was very happy to hear from you all and very glad to hear that you ware all well I also received a leter from you and Mary a short time before which letters I was glad to receive I received the two receipts which you sent to me I coled on the express officers here thy said thy would write to Thompson again and make him refund to you the 25 cents I will rite to you in my next with respect to it. Dear Mussy I left the Hospitel and returned to my Company in Camp on last Thursday I thought that I could not stand it for want of sleep I did not get sleeping more then three hours on an average per nite and then thy are so many sick in it with with differant deases that I got afraid of catchin some desease of the sick and thy are always a very unpleasant smell in it thy are now one hundred and twenty sick men in it thy are now scarsly 50 men in our Company now fit for duty the rest are all on the sick list. Thy ware one man/died in the hospitel last nite his name was Weamer in Capt Stewarts Company he was from Indiana County Thy are two other men that we all think will die to nite thy are very low Dear Mussy we received the box which you & Green and Divler sent to us which Contained I think all that was sent I cannot return you two many thanks for sending those things to me the vest is a good and warm one and keeps me Comfortable The butter tasted good to me I eat it all up in about a week and wished I had some more The cakes was very good I have them all eat except one that one I am agoing to keep to remember you because it came from you. you wrote in and Mary rote that if I wanted any thing more that you would send it to me if Mr Green should be sending any thing more to J. Haugh I would like you to send me a role of butter if you have it on hand at the time and a small gar of honey if you have it to spare I would like you to nit me a good pair of woolin gloves if you can get yarn nit them large and to com up well on the rist the wether is now getting cold here it is now/decided that we will remain here this winter thy are now bilding a house for our barricks this winter we will move into it in about ten days it is pretty cold sleeping in our Camp tents at the present time I now stand on picket guard about one nite in each week I like a solders life midling well though it is a hard way to live The first dirty shirt I had after I left home I washed myself which is the last washing I have done myself I give my close all out to get washed and charge pay five cents a pease for washing them I keep myself clean and change every week I have good warm Clothing and think that I will be comfortable this winter. we do not like our Cournal he is a very selfish man and thinks that thy are nothing two hard for his soldiers to do it puts me in mind of Corl McKnite thy boys say that if ever thy get into a battel he will be the first man that will be shot I do not beleve that if ever we get into a battel that he will come out alive tell Mary that I never have had a chance to get my likness taken since I got my uniform as thy have not been any likness takers in our camp since we left Harrisburg/but the first oppertunity I have I will get it taken and send it to hir perhaps I will be in Baltimore this winter if so I will get it taken their dear Mussy when you write to me next let me know how your mony holds out we have not got any pay since and scarsly know when we will our officers says that we will get two months pay before long as scoon as I get it I will send it to you try to get along to that time you rite that you have your pig fat to kill I wish I was at home to help you to eat a part of it. I received the last two newspapers which you sent which is all the Brookville papers I have received since I left home when you write please send me six postage stamps as they are very hard to get here tell Mary not to think hard of my not sending hir a letter before this time she always hears from me in every letter which I write to you I have a very poor way to write I write this letter on a board on my neas and setting on my knapsack in my tent when you write let me know how grand pap Pegey & Elisa is getting along also what Robert and Joseph Clements/is a doing this winter and how Sniders are getting along tell Mary that I will write to hir some time before long if I can make it sute. Dear Mussy I think it very lonsome for you to cook your on meals and eat them alone I think that if you would board with Mary and pay hir what is reasonable for your board that it would save you a good deal of laber and perhaps would not cost you any more than would board your self you would not then be exposed to the cold in making fiers in cold mornings and save the expence of getting wood but do as you think best Dear Mussy I am in exelent good health at this time hoping that it may continue so I also hope that these lines will find your self Oliver Mary and Childrin and all the rest of our friends all engoying good health and doing well write to me often also I would like Mary to write to me often as I think that she has a better way of writing then I have I send my love to you dear Musse and hope that the lord will spaire both our lives so that we will/meat again in this world and live the ballance of our life in a piecefull and happy way give my love to Oliver and my dear Mary and Children and all other enquiring friends when you write please let me know if Mathew Dowling has ever returned home yet or not my love to you all good by for the present I remain your loving husband I send you a handfull of kisses good by

 

                                    W.Rodgers to

                                                Sarah Rodgers

SOURCES