No 16

St Charles April 27^th 63

 

My Dear Mary

                        I received one letter from you yesterday No 3 dated March 19^th two from Ap 5 to the 12^th I think I have received all you have writen up to that date there was 4 stamps in one and what will be a letter when it writen in each of the others I have received stamps in one letter before I had a letter from David yesterday dated Ap 5 he was well I have answered his I have pleanty of envelopes on hand now and 12 stamps after stamping this letter I hope to be home by the time I have wrote as meany letters as that have you sent me paper in any other form than this I have received I hope not. the most that I want now for comfort here is a hat if I thot you had not sent me one I would send to the City for one. it is very warm here the sun shines down on us and the ground is very dry I think wareing my cap is what gave me the headache I have had it for 3 days prety hard but I am nearly over it today yesterday I was on guard I put a cup on the coles to make some tea and a stick of wood fel in it and nocked it over and I went out and posted the guard without any thing to eat or drink when I got back I was about used up / I et a very good dinner and stued some apples and made some very nice sauce and felt better at 6 I went on guard and staid til 9 it did seam as tho I couldnot stand it I called John up and told him to call me at 12 he said he shouldnot do it but that I must go to bed and sleep and try to get better I told him I didnot want him to set up all night I went to bed but couldnot get to sleep for a long time but finely I got to sleep and didnot wake til morning. I got up about 8 washed up made me a cup of tea et some warm buisket and sauce cleaned out my tent smoked out the musquitoes and feal a great deal better. I think perhaps I worked to hard last week in the hot sun we have got a boat on the river and I went acrost the river 4 or 5 times & I went down to the Danish consuls plantation Mr Henry Fulcans it is prety hard work to get back aganst the curent and we get warm we had some milk the planters gave to uss twice it is a very nice place every thing is a flower as things are in Connect in August. if the was any society here and one had his friends here it would be quite a nice place to live in but I would not live here for the state as it is so much work to keep of the musquitoes there is a mill acrost the river where they make Louisiany rum it is great stock I tell you we went up there and made milk punch with our milk it was first rate the men / can get a drink of rum any time but none to bring away I am glad of that as we should have them drunk half of the time. I shot a duck on the river the other day and one darkie coock dressed and coocked it it was first rate I wish you could have some of the berries that are spoiling here. I went up to get my friend Clarris a young dark about 18 to mend my drawers the other day and her father gave me an invitacion to stay to dinner and I did so they had string beens and boiled rice I et some you had better beleive. I am thankful to hear you are all well and hope you may remain so and be spared to me and I to you in health and streangth and I hope we shal be permited to come home when our time expires keep up good courage and wait with patiance for me and do not stop writeing at presant as your letters will find me I am glad they have hired Brother Gilbert for another year I hope I shal hear him more next year than I have thiss I wish our expences paid the same as if I was there myself Kiss Hattie and tel her Papa says she must be a good girl. as it is about time for the train I must close in haste

                       

Accept thiss in love from Ed

To Mary E B and H C B

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