Olney Ills. Aug. 2^nd 1863

 

Dear Neglected Friend:—:

                                    I will this holy sabbath afternoon attempt to answer your much welcome letter which I received last Tuesday but I have so many excuses to make for not answering it sooner that I expect they would take up the most of my time therefore I think I had not better commence.

 

We received a letter this morning by the politeness of Billy Fentz which was very unexpected but thrice welcome. Pa spoke of you not being well and had detailed him to take care of you. I hope your illness will not last long and that you may be all right ere this reaches you. Billy seems to think that Father will be home soon and I hope he may for I do want to see him so much I suppose it will be some time before you will get to come as Harry Dill is sick. But you must have him hurry and get well so you can come for I guess we would all like to see you / very much for I am sure I would like to see you as well as any body else. I suppose now we may as well consider you as Cap^t of Com "I" and no longer Legatus. Cap^t Robards is here now, he came last Thursday and I think he makes a very nice looking Capt indeed, and I expect you will make as nice a one if not nicer. It seems that you did not get my last letter. I answered yours almost as soon as I received it and was waiting very patiently for an answer but when your letter came and you not receiving mine I was some what surprised. No indeed I did not get offended at anything you wrote to me, I took it as a brotherly act in you in writing as you did for I believe you are a man of principal and if you don't get letters that I write to you it is not my fault but the last one if you never get it all right.

 

It is a very warm day and I expect we will have to have warm enough weather this month to make up for the pleasant weather we have been having this summer. I am in hopes you will get to come back up to Memphis for it would not take so long to / get letters back and forward.

 

The sheet of paper that you wrote on I should think was just as nice as the secesh could have and I would not care if they could not get any at all for their meanness. Mother is writing to Ira today to see if he cannot get to come home and be here when Father comes; but I don't suppose it will do any good for I don't expect he can get to come, so I wish pa would hurry and come as soon as he can. It seems to me I cannot think of anything to say to you that would be interesting to a Cap^t but if I could see you I expect I might have a great deal to say. I might think of of at least a few words to say at any rate. Well I am in hopes you will be all right again soon and will come home when you can and send Pa home before long, too. I guess I will stop now and if there was any person here that would be good company I might do like the rest of the girls take a walk. I will close now by asking you to write when convenient. So good evening, with a bushel of kisses to you and Pa,                                   

 

Your unworthy friend,                       

Nettie.

 

[pencil notes written on back of envelope]

[?] first of June 1862 took darahea and was afflicted more or less all summer          Jim      April 1863 said Wolfe was left in hospital at Memphis Vern not able for duty he again joined the Regt about Oct 1^st 1863 and remained until I was mustered out at Goldsboroug NC April 9^th 1865

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