Camp on Queens Farm Feby 13/62

 

Dear Kate, I received your letter of the 11^th this afternoon and it gave me more pleasure than any letter that I have received from home since I have been out here I was very glad to hear that Ally was so much better and hope that the next letter that I get from you will have as good news if not better. I was very uneasy ever since I received the letter stating that Ally was so sick and I thought it was very strange that I did not receive a letter sooner than I did. I looked every day for one and I had made up my mind that if I did not get any word / this afternoon to go into Washington tomorrow and send a telegraph dispatch if I got arrested for leaving camp. I hope that you are well and that you will take good care of yourself and also the children. I am sorry for the misfortunes of your brother George and hope that he will get a furlough to go home but I do not see how that will do any good for it will only be an expense for him to go to Philadelphia and the money that he will spend for his fare would be better to be saved for his children, and he cant do his wife any good by his coming home. You want to know if I got any apples in the boots yes I did and eat them also I think that the boots were cheap at the price that you / paid for them for I could not get half as good a boot for the same money down here. on last Sunday morning our company went out on Grand Guard and tramping through the mud half way up to the knee and crossing streams of water about 12 inches deep I found the boots first rate for I had dry feet all the time and all the rest of the boys that had not any boots went with wet feet untill they had a chance to dry them and yesterday morning I was on guard at camp and all day and night untill 9 Oclock this morning and it snowed very heavy and I had to tramp through the mud and slush all the time and the boots came in first rate. they feel a little stiff yet on account of not being used to wear boots but they are easy on my feet for new boots 

 

I wrote a letter and enclosed it in one to Kelly for him to give to you and I felt very mad about not getting any letter from you and I was a little sharp in it I also wrote to Kelly to send me down three military works for to study so as to know my duty without making any blunders for we have an examination every week and by having the books to study I can get along much faster if you see Kelly tell him to get them if he can and if he knows of a good work on the baynot exercise to let me know what it is and how much it will cost for we will have to learn it so as to instruct the men. I feel very sleepy for I have not had any but about an hour for the last two nights and on duty all the time Write soon and take care of yourself and the children

                                                           

Tom

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