Little Rock Dec 1, 1863.           

        

My very dear Wife

            I wrote you a few days ago, since when I have received no letter from you—but I write again, as it is my custom to write you twice a week. Would that the mails were so I could hear from you oftener than that.

 

            I am in excellent health, and am putting in my time not unpleasantly, except that it goes hard with me to be deprived of your society. Oh, dearest, when the day comes for me to go home to you to stay, to live in peace and comfort and happiness how glad I shall be.

 

            You will get a picture from me some of these days, as I intend getting one taken to send you. Do get yours, love, and send it to me. You want a photograph taken anyhow, that you may give copies to our friends. By the way, I think you would look well in a hat, don't you? Try one on, and if it becomes you, buy one and have your picture taken with it on, or bareheaded as you look best. I believe most of them are taken bareheaded and standing up. I think you would look best that way. You are tall / and graceful, and with your hair put up like a girl, waved a little,—as it will easily do if you will let it,—you will look most charming. Have it taken so, for me, love, and I will "wear it near my heart", whose cherished idol you are. Tell the artists—Cad & Tap—or George, if he takes it, to do a first rate piece of work—on the best material and the price will be no object. I wish they had a good negative of me, as I am now—fat and hearty. Maj Warfield's clerk, Sydney Alden, of the 33^d Mo. Vol. told me to-day that I did not look like I did on the march from Helena. He said I looked like a ghost carrying a sword after my shakes at Duvall's Bluffs.

 

            I play chess with the officers of the 77^th and 43^d Indiana and occasionally with my old friends of the 3^d Minnesota—the officers who spent several months with us in Georgia last summer a year ago. I beat all of them but Capt Baker of the 3^d Min. He is still ahead.

 

            Maj. Stevens took lessons from me, and thinks he is quite a good player. Lieut. Smithson plays a pretty good game now.

 

            I believe I will leave a space in this for a day or two, as the mail will not go till Friday. Then I will give you the state of my health and write you whatever turns up.

 

Dec 3, 5 PM

            Well, dearest, I will finish my letter and mail it—I am in still in very good health and doing well.

 

            I called on the Paymaster again yesterday to get a check to send you, but he said he would only give one payable to "bearer", so if it got lost and any one found it, it would be just like money; so I concluded not to send it. I will express it, if the boats get through all right for a little while.

 

            I have been selected by Gen. Solomon as a member of a Court Martial, and I will be engaged from 9 to 12 every forenoon for a month probably.

 

            I have nothing new to write. We have a report that Gen. Grant has whipped Bragg, and taken 10,000 prisoners and 40 pieces of Artillery. If that is so, it is glory enough for one day.

 

            I have but little to write this evening, and as I must get my letter down town right off to get it mailed I will close. I will write soon again

                                               

Yours as ever

A.W. M^cCormick

 

Give my regards to all the friends. Tell Hattie Gordon has a new photograph, and I am going to send you one.

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