Camp near Belle plains V^a

June 10^th /63.  

 

Bro

            Having nothing on hand to-day except to clean my arms & accoutrements for General inspection which comes off to-day I have concluded to "scribe" a word or two to "Wee Jamey", so here goes. I dont mind how long ago it is since I wrote to you B4, but no difference. You said in one of your letters that my likeness reminded you of the Sickles men in Harpers Weekly. Now you must know that the likeness of me must also be a likeness of a Sickles man, for Sickles is the commander of the Corps in which I have the honor to serve. So you see Harpers represents the look of the Sickles men just right, for they all or nearly all wear "the mustache" as I do. but enough of this turn over 

 

There is every prospect of a move soon. All our extra baggage is sent to the rear & we are in readyness to march at an hour's notice but no notice has come yet. We got paid a few days ago but if you can get along without it I would like to keep it myself though if you need it say so & I'l send you a little help in the shape of "Green backs". My health is midling good, far better than I once thought it would ever be. Things around camp have a very dusty appearance owing to the dry & dusty weather & the wind which blows the dust in all directions over these plains. I was the recipient of an epistolary essay from Prof. J. G. Albin on last ev'g and also one from Cousin Sarah. She writes a first rate letter, well composed and just such a letter as I like to get. Sprees she says have been plenty of late. I certainly would have been compelled to "Birk the wee / chap" if I had seen Bob H. with his arms around Maria A "sitting i the corner & laughin out" as Sarah says he did at one of the parties. I wonder will Bill Houston swear that he is near-sighted & H Snyder swear that he can not walk a mile at a time without getting lame when the draft comes off next time as they did the last draft! You say you "so often think of the fun we used to have which none but ourselves understand". I may say "thats my fix" for I think of it every day & wonder if those good old times will ever return. I mind something about the "Papst guin an" but the particulars I cannot recall to memory. Let me ask you; do you remember the "Pete Huikin anthem" which you & I sang while hauling rails to build the fence around the new garden? Lizzie was anxious dont you mind to know what we were singing & said it sounded so pretty? The words / ran thus:            "In Dublin tune

"There are 4 croon,"

 

Then came the chorus which you surely remember!! Well I must tell you some fun it is this. The Brass band played that very tune or some one so like it on guard mounting the other morning that I could not hold in any longer but just "moved right out" in ranks & the officer of the guard was going to put me through a course of sprouts for "misbehavior on guard parade". Of course I could not give it any intelligible explanation as it was a thing inexplicable to strangers. I got off though without any punishment but I nearly split my sides laughing and some of the boys thought poor Baker was crazy.

 

            I hope Lizzie success at her school. Mamma has my love. I wrote to Lida lately.

 

"Here lad here a guinie; buy a bannock with it i the morn." I mean I enclose a V for you as a token of friendship from your brother Joe. it is a free gift to you, do as you think fit with it it is for yourself alone.

 

I'l close,          

J. D. Baker.

 

J.R.W.B.                     

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