Harpers Ferry Va

March 9^th 1863

 

Dear Wife & Parents

                                    Monday evening and I will write a few lines to you informing you that Charley and my self are enjoying good health Charley received a letter from Ma to day mailed last Friday we was glad as usual to hear from home but I was very sorry to learn that Ella was not so well I was in hopes to hear that you had thoroughly recovered it seems you have been sick a long time I have a great deal of feeling and anxiety about your sickness I feel very anxious every day to get a letter from you if it was possible for me to get a few days leave I would ask it but I know it would not be granted especially at present when we have so much to do and it all depends on me and the regulations will not admit of a company or detachment of men / being left without a commissioned officer. I have asked Col Stuart to assign me an office but I dont expect he will as they probably have no more officers with the different detachments than they require.

 

to day and at the present time we are having another rise in the river from rain fell last night it is not as high as it was a week ago Saturday but will in the morning if it continues to raise the raise 100 miles above here is grate than it was before but I think it will run of more gradual than heretofore as the rain that fell in this vicinity will all have run off before the raise above reach here

 

You write you send Charley a piece of that wedding dress I have not seen it probably Charley put it in his pocket Ella you must be well and enjoy every part of the wedding for me but then this wont reach you until after thing is all over and done for day after tomorrow night is the evential night in the lives of Ben / and Charlotte I suppose they will soon remove to their possessions in old Catlin nice place to live in dont you think so Ella you know how you always liked it out there first rate

 

            I dont here anything more to day about the Rebels being upon us it turns out as I expected though probably they have been a little bolder than usual and our Maryland soldiers are easily frightened so you know how much I think of Maryland troops.

 

            I write to you very often I take it upon my self to answer all the letters you write to me and Charlie too I expect I would answer his love letters if he should give them to me to read but no danger of my seeing any of them

 

I have no postage stamp to stamp this letter with and thought I should not be able to write before I commenced but the idea occurred to me that I might frank my own letters as well as any body elses / and make you pay the postage What do you think about that do you think it will be worth it if not you need not take letters out that are franked

 

            Ella you must be more careful about exposing yourself and taking colds at the present time while you are so reduced it would not take a great deal to throw you into the consumption you must not try to make yourself well to soon I will bring this letter or scribling to a close as it is ten oclock and after I have smoked my pipe it will be about bed time

                                                                       

This Man the

                                                                       

Captain W.V.P.

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