March 11^th Tantallon Tenn

 

Dear Parents

                                    Your welcome letter of the 3^rd I have just recd and I (as I have always done) answer it immediately after reading it over I am surprised that you did not know till L came home that a soldier prized his letters from home above or as well as all other correspondents Camp life is pretty much the same from one week end to the other and we have no way to occupy ourselves and many a soldier has fretted himself on account of not hearing from home cases of this kind are verry frequent in [burnt] Company but I have not [paper burnt] occasion / to worry for my correspondence has been verry numerous and the great trouble has been how will I be able to get stamps but as you have remedied that by sending some I can answer some of them one young lady sent me a half dollars worth a short time ago but they went verry fast I suppose you know that it is hard to refuse a brother soldier it is verry hard for me to any how I have not heard much about our moving north yet dont think that we shall leave the old 12^th Corps Lieut Col Wooster left last night to take command of the 29^th Conn (Colored) Vols he has just been promoted to Col we are sorry to part with him dont you remember Fowler the man [paper burnt] in our house / his son was in our camp yesterday selling cigars and chewing tobaco he looked at me and says aint your name Palmer I said yes dont you remember me I said that I had seen so many while home that it would be hard for me to tell who he was he then told me that he was a substitute in the 5^th Conn Vols and went by the name of Norton had deserted once and been sentenced to be shot but was reprieved by the President he is not the same person that he was three years ago he said that he heard that I was killed at Chancellorsville which he was glad to find untrue Loomis writes that Frank is coming to visit him I am glad to hear it should be glad [paper burnt] friends give 

 

Geo. 1863—

 

me a call we have just had a large Division attached to our Corps the 5^th Conn Vols have not returned yet I suppose that Buckinham wants to have them to secure his election it is rather a mean piece of business I think to keep them at home while old John Morgan is around with 10 000 Cavalry trying to destroy this road (the 5^th are in our brigade) will you make a couple of red stars for me as I want them as the star is our badge of honor have you ever got my breast pin of Cousin Minnie you remember the one with the lizard I wish you would get it for me hoping to hear from you soon I will close give my regards to all

                                                                       

And I Remain your

Affectionate son

G H Palmer

 

Robert Allison [paper burnt] Penfield                        

are well

 

[front margin upside down]

 

Show these pieces to Maggie Allison I presume Arthur Edwards can pick some reason for not enlisting

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