[note on letter in another hand]

 

7/30/1862

Encamped by the

river. He is sick

 

Deare Child Promit me to a lines unto you to inform you how I am and what I am about I am not verrey well at presant for I have got a loosnys of the bowels caused no dought with the warmness of the weather I have not called on aney docter yet and I shall not have to, but I still do duty we aar at Harrisons landing incamped in the woods in a verrey plesant place and close to the river so close that I go every morning to wash and to get my canteen with warter, and to wash my shirts and drawers and socks

 

I wrote to you some three or four week ago and I have not recived an anser from you. you would write if you knew how mutch pleasure it gave to me to heare from / home and to know how you are geting along

 

I now send in this letter a twenty five check of witch save as mutch as you can I would have sent more but I boered sum and to pay that back for when I sick with the bowel complaint theare little nothines that wanted so borred the money to get it with and when you pay 40 cents per lb for butter and the same for cheese it soon stoiles the fase a doller

 

But for butter I have not tasted aney but once sence I left Washington and that was at New portnews and that I had to give away and some I left for I could not carrey it along. and now in this encampment theare is now butter that thay sell in cans Thay say theare is five lb of butter in them but I dear not buy it for theare is moovement that indicate a another battle and if theare is it / may be posable that I may loose that also a baker has just commenced baking bread at the Landing and I thougt as I went to wash and get a canteen of warter I would get a lofe of bread for I have not had aney since I left Washington to get that lofe of bread what a time I had to get it for theare some four or five hundard theare sutch halling and puling you never did see I brought my lofe to camp the deare little morsel witch cost me 25 cents and to eat it without butter it tasted verrey good with fat pork

 

I bought to day a bottle of sour rasburey syrup for witch I paid one doller witch at home I could get for 38 cents I bought a bottle of Jamacc Ginger for witch I payed 50 cents witch I sopose I could got / half the money I bought some cheese 2 lb of for witch I paid 25 cents and some was bought the other day and 40 cents was paid for it But theare is an Offiser agoing the rounds and inquires the mans seling price and if its to mutch thay go and fix a price for them and that puts them verrey mutch of humrous I must conclude for my paper is geting almost full But theare one thing more witch I came verrey near forgeting and is that that Emet Clemonts is on bord of a Hospitle boat at Harrisons Landing verrey sick I have tried to get a pass to go and see him but could not get one I will try a gain by and by for I should like to see him befor he leves for another hospitle whitch I sopose he will give my love to all the children and to aunt Etey all who may inquire after me and now may god be with you all is the sinceare wish of your Father Tho^s H Mason Sergt I C^o Harrisons landing Verginia July 30^th1862

                                                                                   

write as soon as can

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