Q.M. Dept. 3^d M^d Battⁿ V.V.

Near City Point V^a July 29/64

           

My dear Hester

            For the first time this week I will make an attempt to write you in answer to yours of the 17^th inst which I received last Monday.

 

            I was away all last week and on my return Monday I was compelled to keep my bed until this morning with my old complaint the diarrhea; which has troubled me greatly for the past two weeks; but I am happy to inform you that I am much better now but by no means well. I am constantly taking medicine, but will not be entirely well of it until the cold weather sets in. the doctor tells me that I was not properly cured of it in the summer of 1862 that it is in my system yet but I hope to keep it under control by taking good care of myself. Do not say anything to my folks about me / being sick I tell them I am enjoying excellent health, because if I told Mother it would worry her greatly; and I think she worries herself enough about me as it is, dont you?

 

            Last Monday on my return here I found seven letters for me four from you & three from Mother. Six of them were written last May and yours was dated as follows May 5^th 9^th & 13^th quite a long time on the way dont you think so? now you see how it was, you thought; I did not answer all your letters; while I answered all I received so we must attach all blame to the mail. The letter of May 5^th contains a sentence that I do not fully understand which reads as follows ("I heard you was keeping up quite a sociable correspondence with a young lady in this city") and you ask if "I can give you any information on the subject" now who has told you such a yarn / as that the only Ladies I correspond with are yourself and my Mother & sisters so I think the person or persons that told you better mind their business and leave mine alone

 

            Every day now we expect to hear of a general engagement going on in front and my private opinion is that Grant must soon make a demonstration on the Rebel lines if he don't he will have the whole North down on him. From all accounts Sherman is doing splendidly in the southwest, what do you think of him taking four hundred factory girls prisoner and sending them north of the Ohio River

 

            The weather here still continues very warm last week we had the first rain for six weeks. all the vegetation in this country is dried up with the sun and the crops down here will not amount to much this summer 

 

Our Regiment is now Provost Guard and have been transferred from the first to the second Brigade. I think now I have told you all the news so I will close with sending my love to you

                                                           

Yours eternally

Bob

 

Address

            2^d Brig 1^st Div 9 Corps

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