Camp 10^th Regt Conn. Vols

In the field near Richmond Va.

Dec. 7^th 1864.

 

            My Dear Parrents.

 

                                    You must excuse me for not answering your kind letter before and you must not think that I have forgotton you because I have not written to you before for I promised Henry that I would write as often as I could we left fort richmond N.Y. for fort richmond in the field the next day after Henry left and have not had time to write since for when we got back we had to fix up our tents we had to bring logs half a mile and it raind for 5 days after we got back and the virginia mud was knee deep and we was wet through and cold and after it cleard of it came on cold and it / froze ice hard a nough to bear a horse and it snowed and I thought that I never felt the cold anny more at the north but I have got a little log house that I built and have a fire place and chimney so it is warm as in a house the fire place is built with logs chimney also and for morter I used mud so you see that a soldier will contrive most anny way to make comfitable quarters we have had 200 and 51 recruits for the regt sinc we came back and there is 100 more on the way they ar conscrips bounty jumpers and a hard set of men and it keeps the old men on duty all of to keep them in camp they will steal and dersert 3 out of our company have deserted and we have caught one of them and I soppose he will be shot and I have to drill them evry day for I am now orderly Sergt and / it keeps me buisey most of the time Branard smith is Lieut in Co. F. and Henry L Parker is in our Company the one that Henry saw when we was on inspection a pretty good fellow he apears to be I received a letter from Laura since we come back and have answerd it she is one of our sort for Lincon hura for hur Lincon is the man Deserters come in evry day they say their army is completely demoralized I hope it is so I dont care how soon the war is ended we had new gunns to day they are the Springfield. I will try to write as often as once a week hear after how is all of the folks out in milford how is uncle Lyman and Aunt Caroline I wish that I was there drinking cider and eating appels how I would enjoy my self tell mother that I wish that I had one of hur thanksgiving pies how nice it would be / I guess I will stop for this time hear I am in my little log house happy as ever contented with what may come and also in good spirits and well and that is all one can ask give my love to all and tell Eddy his words came very near true I got as far as york tell Herman to be a good boy help granpar all he can and he never will be sorry love to James family Henrys Aunt and uncle Lyman and a good part your selfs remember me write soon and all of the news this is from your Son Miles L Smith

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