Columbus, O., Jan 12, 1864

 

My very dear Wife:

                        I have got three letters from you since my arrival here last night—the last one written on the 24^th. How welcome such visitors are.

            I am so glad to be where I can get late letters from you, if I cannot come home just yet. It will take us a week or ten days to settle up before we can come.

 

            I am very well. I hope your cold will be well soon, as the weather is moderate now.

 

            I am inclined to take your advice in regard to reading law. But for the present I think I ought to stay in the 77^th. I am more encouraged than ever about it since I came here, and have talked with some of the authorities. I had an excellent offer to go into business here, to-day. I will tell you about / it when I come home. If I were out of the service I should doubtless accept. I am offered a situation that would suit me, with a salary of at least one thousand dollars a year, and ten per cent on all the money I might invest. I have the privilege of putting $500 into the business now, and taking the situation whenever I choose to leave the service. How would you like it? I think Columbus a nice place for a home. Say nothing of this to any one, if you please, dearest, till I come. It might get out that I thought of resigning, and it would not be to my advantage.

 

            Lt. West is very anxious to get home to see Hattie. He will work faithfully on the rolls till we get them made out. I will work just as diligently.

 

            I met Mary on the street to-day. She was much pleased to see me, and urged me to go out to her Pa's. I expect to find time to run out a few hours before I go home. / Mary is one of the attendants at the Ohio Lunatic Asylum. She gets fourteen dollars per week for her time, and the state "finds everything" she says. I presume she means she gets her boarding and washing and room and fuel free. She was well dressed, and looks quite well. Her hair is getting somewhat gray, however. She says she will not get leave to go home, she thinks, before I leave here, and wishes me to call and see her, and she will show me through the asylum.

 

            I have met Senator Curtis and Representative Green since my arrival. They they manifest warm friendship, and I think will do any favor they can for me.

 

            Lieut. Mitchell's wife is here. Lieuts. Scott and Smith expect their wives in a few days.

 

            I took dinner at Mr. Layman's to-day. His folks are well. They like Columbus very much, and want us to come here to live. We may do so yet. 

 

            I send this by Lieut. John L Young, late of the Huntington Battery. He will call with it to-morrow evening. It is now midnight, so I may say, this evening. Better time than heretofore! Send me a letter as soon as you get this. It will get to me in 20 hours. Write me twice a week, as usual, till I come.

Kiss the children for me. Tell Lee I want him to kiss ma again for me. I want all three of my good boys to love ma at least half as much as I do. Emma may kiss you two bushels, but she must save at least a thousand kisses for Pa; and so must "the boys".

 

            It has been a long time since I kissed any one, and the whiskers wont be so very much in the way. If they are, I'll shave them off. Mary was making excuses for not writing to me. I don't know what excuse to make to my fair correspondents in Marietta for not answering their letters. I guess I was writing so many to you that I neglected all others.

 

            Many thanks for the "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" you wished me. I hope we may live to spend many a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year together.

                                                           

Yours as ever                         

A.W. M^cCormick

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