Bermuda Hundred Va.

June 28.1864

 

I rec^d your letter of the 23^d mailed the 24^th, last evening also the Ballot and Herald of the 22^d & 23^d for which I am very grateful and hope you will keep sending them if you dont write

 

The Reg't has not been in any engagement since I last wrote, but one of our Co. W^m H. Walton was wounded in the knee on the 18^th inst so that he had to have his leg taken off above the knee. he was doing well when we last heard from him. He was on picket when he was shot.

 

The day after I last wrote I got the paper and envelopes you sent and was glad to get them. I think there will be enough to last me till my time is out, which will be in something less than 2 months or as we say amongst our selves 1 month and a bit. 

 

I think the Government ought to give us at least one month off of the last of our time, as our Reg't and the 4^th & 7^th have had no furloughs to speak of, while the 2^d, 5^th & 6^th have all had from 60 to 90 days in furloughs. I don't know how it is about the old 8^th (now the 2^d Cavalry) but I think they have had as few furloughs as we have.

 

Out of about 30 in our Company whose time is out in August, only 4 have ever had any furloughs at all.

 

I think if some influential men at home would take hold of the subject in earnest they might make such representations to the War Department as would induce them to discharge us in July instead of August. And I think all who have friends in this Reg't whose time is out in August ought to talk the subject over and try and see what they can do for us. I don't suppose any of our Officers will try to do anything about it. 

 

There are is quite a large number of sick men in the Regt. but no one dangerously so that you know.

 

Perhaps you have seen in the papers that Gen. Butler has had some trouble with Gen. Gillmore. I will only say that every soldier that went on the expedition think that Gen. Gillmore did just right, and that the fighting in front of Petersburg since that time makes them think so all the more. I will send you a letter cut out of the New York Herald which will explain the matter more fully. I will only say that every word of it is true especially the last paragraph.

 

I see that the Union Store has been sold to J. C. Payson & Co. I suppose it is young Clark Payson and I think I could guess who the Co. is. I have also seen by advertisement in the Exeter News Letter that the Methodist Meeting House is to be sold at auction on the 16^th of August if not / sold before that time. Well times change and we change with them. I wonder who will buy the old meeting house.

 

My health has not improved any since I wrote last, but I hope to worry through the rest of my time and then I shall try and recruit for a few months.

 

We have moved our camp again since we I last saw you wrote. We have a very pleasant camp ground, the tents being all under shades built by the 24^th Mass Regt. I have not seen Uncle Thomas lately but have heard from him 2 or 3 times and he has sent me some tobacco for which I was very thankful. He sent a note with the tobacco saying that he could not walk much owing to varicose veins, his health was good otherwise.

 

I don't get any letters from any one now except you. George Eaton and Martha Hall both owe me one. I owe one to Aunt Harriet and you can tell her I will pay her when the sighn comes right. Respects to all,

 

from J. W. Clement

 

I wonder how old you are Mother, to-morrow.

 

Mr. John Clement                                                       

            Exeter                                                             

                        NH                                                      

 

[front top margin upside down]

 

I shall be 38 yrs old next Friday

Getting old fast.

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