Black River Bridge Miss.

April 10^th 1864

 

My Dear and much loved Wife:—

                                                Another Sabbath morning has come and finds me once more in the far-off South seated in my tent & thinking of the dear one left behind me. It seems scarcely possible that I was with you dear two weeks ago this morning. Evry thing around me is so changed, and I am so far away from you that it seems a long, long time ago. Evry thing that was said or done while I was with you has passed through my mind so often since I left you that I shall probably never forget it as long as I live.

 

            It is fixed there like some / loved visits I made home when a boy after being gone some time.—

 

            It is a most delightful morning here. The grass and trees are green. The flowers are growing evrywhere. A mild southern breeze is fanning all nature. the birds are singing and in evry particular it is just such a Sabbath morning as I could love and admire was I at home with my dear Annie. As it is I should probably enjoy myself just as well was nature in her most gloomy mood.

 

            It will be to me almost like commencing a new life to come home with the prospect of spending the remainder of life with you darling. May God hasten the glad day / and when it does come enable us to commence our new life in such a way as will secure His blessing ever to be with us. While we look forward to the happy day that shall unite us (I trust never again to part) let us not forget dear that with our new life will come new duties, and that although we join our hearts and hands to battle with lifes trials yet we may meet with some we had not anticipated and that will require all our united strength to overcome. For some reason or other I have thought much since I left you of my own duties and responsibilities and I must confess that after almost two years of army life I do not feel fully prepared / to meet them as I should. As you very kindly told me dear I am not as good as I was before I came here.

 

I do thank God that I have a dear good wife to go home to, who will kindly remind me of my failings and assist me to discharge all my duties. Very much will depend upon you my darling wife never fail to remind me of my duty. If you do, remember I promise you now, I will allways try and do it. If you fail, I may.

 

            My health has been much better since I had the chill I mentioned in my last letter. I will try and prevent any more by taking plenty of quinine about the time for me to have the next one. It will be a / month on the 13^th since my resignation was forwarded from Corps Hd. Qts. to Gen. Sherman and I shall begin to look for my discharge about the 20^th.

 

We have heard nothing from the troops up Red River yet.

 

            We get mail now evry day and I do hope that I shall hear from you in a short time. I am very very lonesome

 

            Give my love to Mother if she is with you Also to Bens' and Gilberts when you write.

 

            Praying that God will protect my darling wife from all harm

                                   

I am ever

Your faithful & loving Husband

George

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