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

Alton, Ills., March 2, 1863.

 

My very dear Wife

                        Your excellent letter of the 24^th reached me to-day. You had not got mine of the 22^d when you wrote, or you would have told me what day to look for you here. I am so very anxious to have you here, that I cannot wait patiently till I hear when you are coming. I hope you will "pack up" and start before this letter reaches Marietta, but if you do not, then come as soon afterwards as you can.

 

I wrote you Friday night to come, and I had written to Emma on the 22^d and to you on the 23^d of Feb. on the same subject. I know you want to be with me, and I want you here. So do not delay, love; I am getting so very tired being without your sweet presence.

 

            I have been to see Mr. Hill and his wife tonight, along with Adjt. Burris and his wife. Mr. Hill had invited me several times to call and spend an even / ing with them any time, and Mrs. Hill had repeatedly asked me to come; so when Mrs. Burris asked me to go with them this evening, I concluded to go. We had a nice time, playing backgammon and euchre. Mrs. Burris and I played euchre against the Adjutant and Mr. Hill and beat them badly. Then Mrs. Hill and I played against them, with the same result.

 

            Mrs. Hildebrand and Mrs. Hill, Adjutant Burris and his wife and myself will go to St. Louis to-morrow, on a little pleasure excursion. Lieut. Scott will probably go with us, but he has not yet obtained leave. He has his commission, now, and is on duty as Officer of the Guard to-day. Mrs. Hill says we will have a gay time. Mrs. Hildebrand says I am to be her beau; and says the Col. says for her to go with me when he cannot go with her.

 

            Nearly all the officers in the Regiment have signed a petition to the governor to appoint Lieut. M^cNaughton Captain of Co. D in place of Blasdel, resigned. There is but little doubt but he will get the promotion. Bully for "Little Mac". In that case Lieut. Smithson will probably be my 1^st Lieut. and Lieut. West my second. /

 

I got some photographs taken to-day, but as you will soon be here, I need not send you one of them. Of course you will come soon to see them.

 

            Tell Augusta I don't want her to wait till I say she is "real mean" before she writes to me. That would be entirely too long.

 

            I am still looking for that letter from Belle—I want to know what Cynthia thinks of the Corporal who says, "She—can—get—me—any—time—she—wants—me". You ought to have heard her mother laugh when she heard he had sent her his picture.

 

            Give my kind regards to all our friends—including Mrs. Stewart and her girls, Mrs. Racer family, and "our girls" generally. I hope to get back some time to see them all. Tell the girls if any of them get married before the war is over, to send me an invitation to the wedding,—and the photograph of the bridegroom—if he is a gentleman I do not know. I will come if I can, and bring you along.

 

            Lieut. Jones has not got back yet,—and still we don't feel alarmed about our safety here. There may be a "big thing" in the way of a "Secesh" organization here, / but "I don't see it". Considerable hum about such reports. You have heard of "Secesh" in Washington Co. and know what they mean when Abolitionists talk so.

 

Now, dearest love, you know I want you with me very much, and you want to be with me. Do not let anything keep you from coming at once. I shall look for you as soon as you can come after this letter gets to you, if not before.

 

            I think the Republican Office might have sent you a paper without your buying it. The Republican has considerable of local matter of interest, but is too radical in its anti-war policy. The Register does not amount to any considerable sum.

 

            I got a letter from brother Jacob a short time ago. He does not seem to know Elisha has got back to Illinois. He lives in Oquawka, and the other near Young America.

 

            Col. Andrews of the 36^th  must be a spirited gentleman, to hold on to his office when all the Officers in the Regiment tell him they will resign if he doesn't. I think I could take a hint

 

            Col. T.C.H. Smith, it seems, has gone over to the Abolitionists, body and soul. He hadn't far to go.

 

            You had better have your bedding come through by express, I think. We will need it as soon as you come. Any heavy articles can come as freight, either by rail or by steamboat.

 

            Hundreds of kisses and hugs for you. Also for the children. Come soon. Write before you start, if but a line.

                                               

Yours with more love than ever            A.W. M^cCormick

SOURCES