Camp Sedgewick.                  

Brandy Station. Va.

April 17 /64

                       

Dear Sister.

                Good morning! How do you do you do this evening!

 

I am pretty well thank you How do you do. No! I am not very well tonight I have had the teeth ache considerably the past week, and if you know anything by experience how a tooth feels that is inclined to ache you will know how mine has felt. Thursday I made up my mind to have it out, so I went to the Hospital and the assistant surgeon begun operations upon it. He twisted and jerked and jumped at it for about three minutes, and never loosened it the least mite. he the then took breath and started again. the first pass he made this time it broke into five or / six pieces. he broke the stump down as low as he could and told me it was all out. I knew it was not and told him so but he thought he could make me believe it was I suppose so he put his finger in and said there was nothing left.

 

Friday I was on guard and in the night when my relief was on I lay down on the guard house floor and got to sleep and got an awful cold. yesterday I didnt do any thing but cough, cough. I have not coughed today but am so sore with what I done yesterday that I cant hardly breathe that old stump of a tooth which had behaved very well since it was pulled commenced aching again this morning. I am in hopes of feeling better in the morning

 

Jo Wood went to Washington Thursday to be examined for a commission. He returned this afternoon a Lieut. in the Regular Army. He is feeling pretty chipper just now rather more than if he had not succeeded in passing. I am glad he has got a commission / He is stopping with me as usual.

 

            He wants me to apply for an examination. He says I could pass that board by a very little study of Casey's tactics with what I know of it already, but there has too many men tried that game and failed for me to try it. men from this regiment too. Jo has not been assigned to any duty yet except to return here and await further orders.

 

You may not be surprised any time to hear that this little army of the Potomac is on the tramp Sutlers, peddlers, photographers, and all hangers on of the army have left, cleared out yesterday or nearly all, according to orders from Mr. Grant. I am glad they are gone take it all around, though a little butter to eat on bread does not go very bad. but they had got to bringing any quantity of whiskey into the army and drunkenness had become too common. there is not a day now that passes without there being a great many of the men drunk as fools. The price they pay is three dollars a canteen, or a dollar a pint. pretty high price for poison aint it. 

 

No Siree! That letter was not meant as any warning at all the one I didnt write I mean. So the next time when you haint anything to write just sit down and write it. I never have found any fault with your letters except those you didnt write, and those I did find fault with and it seems you did the same when the boot pinched the other foot. There has been no geese by here this spring So I think the ones you wrote of is none of ours They probably came from Chesapeake bay and the other bays and rivers on this coast. Two years ago this spring when we went to the peninsula the water was fairly alive with them. No! I have no idea in particular in regard to the frame of that picture anything that suits you at home will suit me. Corp^l M^cGhan has been reduced for drunkenness. I think this lot of thread will be sufficient for all my wants. I dont know as I have gone into the tailoring business any deeper than usual a good many have borrowed of me thats the why. Direct your letters the same as you always have. Yours Truly L.C.C.

 

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I sent a $20. bill in my last did you get it I forgot to mention it in the letter.

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