Alton, Ill., Jan 23, 1863.

 

My very Dear Wife

            I am so much pleased with your letter of the 18^th. I am truly glad to hear that you are all well, or at least nothing worse than colds the matter. I hope the dear children will soon be well of their colds, and that none of will be sick while I am away.

 

            I cannot see why it takes eight days for a letter to go from Alton to Marietta. I don't think P.O. business is managed as well now as when I was PM at Marietta. I would write to every D.P.O. on the route and have the matter remedied, if I were in Mr. Bosworth's place. Still, as I have a letter or two on the road nearly all the time, we can hear from each other often, if the mails are slow. I never wait to get an answer to my letters to you before writing you again, and I am very glad to find you write on the same system.

 

            Tell Frank and Lee I would be very glad to have a hundred kisses from my dear good boys, and hope I will get home before long to get them. Pa never forgets his pets at home for an hour. Oh how glad I shall be to meet you all again. Daughter will write to me, you say, pretty soon. I shall look with much interest for her letter. I always thought she was the sweetest little girl in town, and know she loves her Pa ever so much. I would like to get hold of Lynn a little while. You say he has learned to hug and kiss so nice, and I would like so well to have his arms around Pa's neck. 

 

What a nice time we would have together, dearest, if you were here. I would be so proud to take you to the "Sociables" (as they call their church gatherings, known in Marietta as "the circle") and introduce you to the good people of Alton. I know you would be a favorite, as all like you who know you, and the people here are very sociable, so you would soon get acquainted. Mrs. Hildebrand was in great hopes you were coming, and anticipated much pleasure from your company. She felt sorry you could not come, but not half the regret I felt. I think you did right, however, under the circumstances, in not coming, as we would never forgive ourselves for bringing the children here where small pox is if one of them should take it and die. I would not have you exposed to it unnecessarily for any thing, though I do not fear it or think I will take it. I have been vaccinated too recently to fear it. Besides I do not think it very contageous, and I do not take diseases of any kind easily. I was exposed to whooping cough and measles many times before I took them, and I visited Capt. Blasdel, at Shiloh, when he had the small pox, without taking it. If the health of the city improves so I feel safe in having my sweet wife and children here, I will try to persuade you to come yet. I will be paid off soon, I think, and will have money enough to spare for you.

 

            You say you hope I will be at home in the spring, and that if I have money enough to square up with the world, we can commence life anew, and also that you have no doubt we can live so happily. I feel so, too, dearest, and hope your wishes may be realized. I would be so glad to be at home with you, and I know we will get along finely. I think myself truly blest in having such a darling wife, and so fine a family of children. I am happy now, in the hope of a blissful future. /

 

I told Mrs. Hildebrand to-day that you said you would spend a day at her house with the girls, but would miss her and the Col. so much. She said she was glad to know you were going to make the visit, and would like to be with you, or have you with her. She never tires in your praise when speaking of you to her acquaintances here. How I would like to have you here. I was at Head Quarters on Sunday, and the Col. asked me to go to Mrs. Hayes to take an oyster dinner. Of course I went, and had a good time. Mrs. Hayes is an Odd Fellows widow, and a very kind good lady. She has three interesting daughters, and as Mrs. Hildebrand and Mrs. Adjutant Burris' wife both board there, it is a nice place to visit. By the way, I guess I will change my place of boarding to Mrs. Hayes. She wants me to come very much and the Col's wife won't listen to anything else. If I go, Lieuts. Scott and M^cNaughton will go there too. Mrs. Hildebrand invited me to take dinner with her and the Col. at Head Quarters to-day and I went, and enjoyed myself very well. Miss Sallie Hayes and Miss Robbins were there, and of course the gallant officers of the "Gallant 77^th" could not let the ladies go home alone.

 

            You say you envy the Alton ladies my society this winter. I know, my dear wife, how much we should enjoy ourselves if we were together, and I hope soon to be with you—that I will either get to home, or that you will come here. You know, my darling, how I love you, and I am certain you cannot desire my company more than I do yours. And yet I know you wish me to go in company and enjoy myself as a gentleman should, with the ladies here, while it is impossible for us to be together. I attended the Methodist "Sociable" Wednesday night, and was introduced to many of the ladies and gentlemen. The brass buttons of the 77^th are a ticket of admission into the best society here, especially when accompanied by shoulder straps. You know I will not disgrace mine by going in any other. /

 

I am sorry for Capt. I hear that he has been dismissed for going to see his wife without leave. Still I cannot say such a rule is too harsh. To allow absence without leave, in officers especially, would ruin the service. I hope he can make a good case, and be reinstated. It would be too bad to have Lizzie's feathers cut in that way.

 

            Give Mrs. Ross my kind regards, and tell her I am much obliged for the compliment she paid me, in saying she never saw a more pleasant man. I am also under obligation to Capt. Ross for his kind mention of me.

 

            Tell Augusta I will answer her letter sent to Shiloh, though I thought she would take the Waynesburg letter for an answer, and that she owed me one. I will write to Belle too, now that she has got home.

 

            I have no doubt, Gen. Cox's Staff officers are having a gay time in Marietta this winter, if shoulder straps are as popular there as here. It is rich that Mrs. C. and Ella are both after the same beau.

 

            You say you do not go out much as you have no beau, now that I am away. How happy I should be dearest to have you with me here. As you think I would be a splendid beau for some young lady, if I were a single man, of course you think me a splendid beau for you now. If we cannot be together now, there is "a good time coming", I hope, when we can. I think I will be out of the service by next fall, especially if I am elected Auditor. I love the sweet kisses and hugs I enjoy with you as much as you can, and am as tired of sleeping alone I know. Nothing but duty keeps me here, and I think I can get a resignation accepted next fall, if the war lasts that long. Still I should regret to quit the service while there is a rebel in arms against the government. I am not sure but I have done more for the Union now than a dozen of those who tried to create distrust in my loyalty while I was a candidate in 1861.

 

            I am sorry to hear of Lieut. Condit's death and that Ed. Bloomfield is wounded. Tell Augusta she has my sympathy, and that I hope Ed will soon recover.

I got a letter from father a few days ago. He says the folks are well. Brother Elisha is at father's. He has a bad cough, and father fears he will not live long. I hope it may not be so bad as he thinks.

 

            My kind regards to Mr Racer's folks, and other friends, including Mrs. Stewart and Augusta, of course, and Laura.

 

            Kiss the darling children for me, and tell them Pa wants them to go to school regularly, and be good. A hundred bushels of kisses to you, dearest.

                                                                                   

As ever your            A.W. M^cCormick

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