No 15)

St Charles April 18^th 1863

 

My Dear Mary

                        I have severel letters to answer one from Deal one from Frank one from Mother and Father but allwase yours first. I received yours of April 4^th this afternoon by the down train you complain of being lonely I cannot blame you I know you are lonely but I can think of no better way for you to pass away the time than in writeing to one that is so near and dear to you much as I have wondered how you could or what you saw in me that should make you think so mutch of me but strange as it is to me I realise that it is even so and that in me is wraped up your own being that I may proove worthy so much love and trust from one so young and trusting is my sincere desire I long very much to come home an try and chear the short time alloted to us here belo by my presance and try and be worthy the love and confidance of my own Dear Mary and help you to direct in bringing up our Dear Hattie to that perfect woman we would like her to be when we shal grow old and nead her cair and asistance. I think by you account you have had more winter this spring than you had dureing the winter months as near as I can make out you have ben sleighing but very little and had but little snow I would like to have it snow her a good snow storm here to se if it would not cover up some of the musquetoes and leave us a few minutes ease and comfort / you may be shure I shal long remember the night in you Fathers parlor when we mooved the loung up to the stove to warm our feet before we went to bed and in my mind just now I can remember one night when the lounge stood by the side of the room and we wer pleanty warm without a fire I would like to be on that same lounge tonight I think we could keep warm at any rate we would try if you would give your consent if not I should take it anyway. you must have had a nice ride when you went to Newtown Hanlyville doun to Drews on Tools it was a handy place to go to turn around I beleive we went down that way to turn around once. I am not supprised that you should think it loocked some at J Turner that is the way she does things. Aunt Lydia was always nice but queer. I think you must have had a nice time at Brother Gilberts to dinner perhaps eating dinner with so meany old maids will be of benifit to you as they say old maids are the salt of the earth I like them to take care of me when I am sick but I like young maids at the same time and think them both good in their place. I think Em is gouing into the poultry trade stout perhaps she will earn her pins. I am glad David is promoted he will have easyer times and not be as much exposed and get more pay. I am glad to hear John is so fortunate. I think there is nothing seryous about the 23 boys geting fleshy at least not about me I am as you say strate as a string and if nothing hapens I shal come home all rite if they get ready to let us come /

 

Sabbath afternoon the 19 as it has ben a wet day and I have ben to bed as much as I care to. red my Bible and what papers I have and the news from the army up the Teche and had a walk on the track to settle my dinner. I will try and pass away a short time in writeing to you if it was not for the musquitoes I think I could do so in peace but peace is not known in this country. John had said a greatdeal about that box wishing it would come I told him it made no diference to me as I should have nothing he said I should if he did I was standing one side loocking on as the toock out the things for one and another and you may beleive I was supprised when they handed out a bag marcked Ed Benedict I caried it to my tent in a short time and opned the paper to find a letter but as it lay on the apples it had gathered damp and molded so that I could read but a very few words I turned the apples out on a paper in the sun and dried them they are in good order none of my things we hert and I thank you for them John had a bandbox with a peace of dried beef in that is good a lot of cake and some green apples all spoiled their was some cake in the boxes that loocked nice but it all tastes that moldy taste just as the boxes smeled most of the beef hams are good and some pork hams are nice we had one boiled yesterday and had it cold for breakfast it was very nice Frank Benjamin had a can of picked cabbage and pepers a can of preserved goosberries that are fine Mr Wiliams had a can of blackberry wine sealed I had a taste of it is tiptop but a majorrity of the things wer spoiled I think if they had not put in green apples and a box of eggs and it had come direct it would have ben better it has ben in New Orleans about four weeks waiting for someone to come and claim it /

 

Tuesday 21^st as the mail leavs on the down train I must finish these letters in time I am on guard today and was luckey enough to get the handcar to ride out to post the guard and back but I had not had quite enough of boating and have ben out with 7 others after the boat on the handcar and went about 2 milds in the hot sun and pushed the car I never swet more geting hay but I have got back to camp and think I shal bet out boating till it is on the river when I mean to have a ride I wish the river run to Connet I think I should be there in a hury. last night I had some apple suce out my dried apples it tasted like homemade Fred Dunham went down on the train yesterday he was gouing to the City and comeing back tomorrow he is geting well and loocks like himself he goes up and down with the role boocks I shal try and send Oscar some of the fruit you sent me do not wonder if it is hard work to read my letters it is harder work to write them I can write 2 or 3 words then slap musquitoes and flies they are the aufulest torment I ever got acquinted with. we had our ham from Bethel boiled yesterday and had it cold for breakfast with a loaf of corn bread I got up to the darks last night and some of my sause it was prety good. I am well and hope these lines may find my little famely enjoying the same blessing keep up good courage Mary the time is passing swiftly away and I hope we shal soon meet again in our own quiet home take good care of Hattie and write to me just how she an you are and how you get along and if there is any thing I can do or say to do you any good and beleive me your ever loving Edwin to Mary and Hattie

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