[top margin upside down]

 

2 rings for

Mary and Martha

               

Newbern, NC Oct the 24, 1862

 

Dear Parrents

 

                        I now take my pen in hand to answer your kind and welcom letter I received one yesterday the 23 and one a bout a week a go one from you and one from Aunt Caroline and one from katie and Mary was in the letter and Katie was in the one that she wrote I think they look naturel I wish that I could have a picture of you all I suppose Katie wrote and told you that I have bin sick I was sick 2 weeks / and went to the Hospital and there I had good care taken of me 3 days. I dident have my cloths on but I began to get better and have a good appetite and now am well and in camp a gain a driling with the rest of the boys I had what is cald the dumb ager I never new what it was to have the hed ache before I had to have a wet cloth on my forehead and a hankercheif tied hound my head for 8 days it seamed as if I should go crazy but now I feel as well as ever we had 50 new recruits come for the 10 regiment 6 of them in our company / there is 10 thousan men a coming here in newbern we are a building baracks for them and we are going in baracks for the tents are verry poor and it will be mutch better to than tents, 4 buildings 6 hundred feet long pretty long buildings you said that Henry was sick I wrote to him 3 weeks a go have not heard from him yet the weather is quite cool down hear we have stoves in the tents and a fire most all day it is is cold as that down hear in the sunny south I wish that I was there to have some punking / pie and sweat cider I suppose cake and pie would make me sick for I have not had anny in so long sweat potatoes aplenty here but I rather have our kind of potatoes tell Herman that he farther must make a good lot of cider for I shall be pretty dry when I come home tell eddy that he must get a good lot of chesnuts for me tell Aunt that I sheal write to her soon give my love to all. Aunt Caroline uncle Lyman and all of the folks and shear a great part your selfs remember me to Katie and kiss Eddy for me write soon remember me this is from your

son Miles L Smith

 

I am well

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