Head Quarters 77^th Regt. O.V.I.

Alton, Ills., Feb 23, 1863.

 

My Very dear Wife:

                        I wrote you a line yesterday, with my letters to Emma and Lee. I am now going to write you a letter.

 

            I got a check for you this morning, for which Marietta Bank will give you sixty dollars, in "Greenbacks", enough I trust to bring you through. You can leave the freight on our goods that you bring unpaid, and I can pay it here.

 

            I desire you to bring everything necessary for housekeeping, except bedsteads, tables, chairs, stoves and such articles as cost but little and would be expensive moving. We can get furniture here, and when we return, we can sell it or take it with us as we choose. You can dispose of things as I wrote you from Columbus, when I thought you would come last fall, or in any other manner you deem best. Bring with you a box full of our best books, but leave those we can get along with / out as well as not packed away in boxes, or in the book case, if you leave it at Mr. Racer's.

 

            The reason why I wish you to bring most of the things we will need, is, you will have no time to sell anything, to advantage, if you come as soon as I want to see you, and that goods are high now. It would cost like fury to buy enough things to commence housekeeping with, while the freight cannot be very much. If you have any heavy articles that we could do without a little while, you might leave them boxed up, and get Mr. Racer to have them shipped by steamboat. We can board a week or two if necessary, but I would prefer keeping house at once—which I think we can do.

 

            Be sure to bring our eight day clock. If you can sell the large glass for what it is worth at the furniture store, or anything near it, you had best do so, as we can buy one, and save danger of breaking in transporting. You will have to buy a trunk, of course, and you can have the large place broken in mine covered up by nailing tin or heavy leather inside, so you can pack some things in it. Be careful of my file of the Republican, and of my letters and papers. The letters and papers I guess / had better be brought with you, in your trunk. Of course you'll get a large one if you have to trade your stove for it. If Mr. Racer wants the stove, he might get you some thing like that in the store, and it would suit you both. They will take care of some of the things you leave, and Mrs. Ohle of others, and I will "make it all right" with them when we return to Marietta; as we did before when I got home from "Dixie". If you have not money enough, borrow a little from Mrs. Stewart, and I will send it to her as soon as you notify me. I do not want to send you more than I think you need as I borrow what I send, but I can get it when necessary, and we may be paid this week. It cannot be long till we are paid. I hope you will not wait a day longer than you can help, now that you are coming, I am getting impatient to see you, and kiss your dear sweet lips. Oh! it will be so nice to have you and the children with me again. And I would not be surprised if we stay together all our lives now, for I think it looks like we would not get into the field again. The wolf bite did not lame me. My knee was pretty sore yesterday and this forenoon, but it feels much better this afternoon. I guess it will be "all right in the / morning". It felt better as soon as the wolf was dead. The 5 PM mail will soon leave, so I must close. My love to the friends.

 

            Write me just as often now as if you were not coming. I love your sweet good letters so much.

                                                           

Ever yours, dearest, and yours only.

A.W. M^cCormick

 

Mrs. Alice J M^cCormick

 

P.S. I enclose Lieut. M^cNaughton's photograph, so the folks may see it. I don't know whether he will "marry in this town" or not, but he is very attentive to the ladies.

           

George Early sent Cynthia his ambrotype. The Col. and her ma found it out. They had a good laugh. I guess it won't make a match.

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