Drumondtown Va Dec 6^th 1861

 

Dear Mother I take this opertunity of writing to you and of also sending the enclosed $15.00^cts which I received this morning being the first money I have received yet from the U States Govement Lt Gibson has kindly offerd to take the mens money home for them which is very kind indeed and I of course send mine by him you can give George four dollars and keep eight dollars for your own self and out of the ballance buy me about 2 lbs nice chewing tobacco and 1 lb Blerings smokeing tobacco and the rest devide among the girls and you will oblige me very much. the next time we get paid off will be the first of January then we will get 2 months pay and then I hope to send some more home I hope you are well all of you at home as for / myself I fell first rate and I do belive I am geting fat I have never felt sick yet I did fell a litte sleepy one when we marched from Oak Hall to Drumondtown which is 19 miles we started at sundown and got here the next morning then I went on guard and did not get any sleep untill the next day about 10^ck in the morning so you see I was awake about 40 hours it did not hurt me any that wont happen again maybe in my life. I would like to come to Baltimore about Christmas but I cannot tell whether we will get a chance or not we are going to march to morrow to Eastville which is 30 odd miles from here where we will go in to winter quarters I belive. I like solders life first rate the boys are in first rate spirits this morning and they bother me so I will have to stop more anon your afft son

 

W^m H Grape /

 

give my love to all                                                                  

 

PS I got your letter

tell them all to write

 

NB Lt Gibson will bring my things down for me

WHG

 

I received the papers and the candy and am much oblige but I did not get a letter write as soon as you get this and let me know how you all are at home     W^mHG

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