Camp 18^th Ala. Rgt. Nov 22^nd 1863

                       

My Dear Wife,

                     Yours of the 12^th inst. is at hand. I assure you I was glad to get it if it was a [faded] for I was very uneasy about you as you were not well when you wrote last. I am glad you have not been any worse than you have for I was fearful you would not get over an attack of pneumonia if you had one. I cannot feel easy until I learn that you have entirely recovered. If it were possible for me to bear all of your pain and be sick in your stead I would do it with pleasure. I trust you have gotten well by this time. My darling when you get well take as good care of yourself as you can for if you have another attack I know it will be much worse than the first one. I hope the next letter will bring me the good news that my dear little wife is well. I am always ready to admit that I have done wrong when I see my fault. And before you wrote me that scorching letter I told you I was fearful that I had said something that would wound your feelings, and asked you to pardon me for it. I had wished a thousand times that I could recall the foolish letter, and as I could not, what more could I do? I know I deserved to be reprooved, but my darling don't you think you were a little too severe? I would try to explain, but as I think the least said the better on my part, I will ask you to forgive and forget, and send me the letter if you have not burned it. As regards the letter I wrote to ma, I don't know hardly what I did say, after telling her to burn the package of letters I entrusted to her care. I heartily wish I had done it myself while at Tunnel Hill. The most unkind cut of all, if any there were, was when you said in regards to your brother [?], Why should you beg my pardon for "troubling" me about him? Have I not ever shown a willingness, if not more, to try to learn something of him and have I not told you all that I kniew or could learn of him? Had he of been one of my own brothers I know of nothing more that I could have done. I have never waited for you to ask me about him, but feeling interested in him myself and knowing how anxious you were to hear from him I have always enquired of every one I thought might possibly give me any information concerning him. / It is true I did not tell you all I had learned of him when I first wrote I had met with his Col. Was it for not doing so the cause of your speaking of him as you did in your last letter? I did not tell you because his Col. had asked me not to do it in a less time than one month, for he thought it would be that time before he could hear from him as they would have to take their old route via Va to get back to their Command, as the army fell back while they were out in pressing horses and besides I was in hopes you would get better tidings from him soon and I would spair you the trouble of much anxiety.

 

            I have had me a little log cabbin built. It is all ready but covering it and a fiew other little things to do, which could be done in one day but I hardly think there will be anything more to do as our QM has been ordered to have our baggage wagons ready to move tomorrow morning. 'Tis just my luck to have something to happen, just as I get ready to enjoy something to prevent it. I have one of the nicest cabbins in the regiment and if I don't remain here long enough to enjoy it I will [paper fold] having to leave it. And besides I am expecting a box from home every day and I shouldn't wonder if it is my luck to have to leave about the time it gets to the depot and then I will be sure not to see it. My Darling if I will send you a sealed package in a letter will you insure me that you will keep it where no one will open it and that you will not open it yourself until after my death or until I tell you to do it. And if I should ever want it will you let me have it before it is opened.

 

We have had some very pleasant weather for the last 10 days but it is raining now and I guess we will have some rather hard weather before we can enjoy another such a pleasant spell. I am about as well as usual. With the hope you will not let what I have said this time trouble you or cause you to think that I love you one moment and not the next, for I know that I do love you, and have never known the moment that I did not, since I first told you I did, and I can say sometime before we went to the theater in Mobile. I am your affect husband Sim

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