Hd. Qrs. detachment NY Engrs

Harpers Ferry Virginia

Feb 5^th 1863.

 

            Dear Friend

                                    I now take my pen in hand to address a few lines to you also to let you know that my present health is good and hoping by the time those few lines reaches you that you may be enjoying the same good health and better if possible the Captain took the train yesterday at 2 O'clock for Baltimore he has not yet returned I expect at ten o'clock this evening I was sitting hear smoking and I thought of my northern friends I thought you might be glad to hear from the seat of war so I thought I would write a few lines to you I trust you little girl is over her sickness by this time the drums are beating down town but for what I know not I trust all you folks are well we have had sleigh-riding down hear / to day it snowed all day the boys went down and got an old cutter that laid in front of this first house and made a pair of phills harnessed up one of the horses and went out cutter riding. I jumped on to one of the runners so I can say I had one sleigh ride in three years or during the war

 

I expect the Captain every minute to day or rather this morning I could not make a fire in our stove so throwed it out doors and went down to the bridge and got one a cast iron stove commonly called the Volunteer the door that belonged to it was lost but I soon made one to fit it out of a piece of sheet iron it throws as mutch again heat as the tin stove did I think we will keep warm now 

 

the weather for the last ten days has been very cold it snowed the most of the time it snows and rains now the wind blows very hard also I pity the poor soldiers that has nothing but shelter tents over them to night we cant grumble at our situation hear when the poor soldiers down at Fredericksburg has nothing over them but one blanket and a common piece of thin canvass I think they must suffer those cold nights very mutch my little stove is red and yet it is verry cold in hear so you can judge by that how cold it must be whare thair are no stove I hear the train comming in the Captain will be hear directly I think /

I will now bring my letter to a close by saying good night for this time you will hear from me again soon give my respects to enquiring friends if any You have my best wishes at all times your True Friend

                                   

Patrick C. Kane

Co. G. 50^th Regt NY

Engineers

 

you will please excuse my bad writing as I have a very poor pen excuse mistake also

 

Your Friend good night

Patrick C. Kane

 

I did not think of asking the Captain if he did not want to write something before he went out but he is gone so I will have to let it go this time

 

yours &c

P. C. Kane /

 

I forgot to or three words that I ought to put in please give my Respects to Mr Personieus

                                                                       

Your Friend now and

here after         Patrick C Kane

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