Edward's Ferry, Md.

March 21^st, 1863

           

Dear Brother:

                                    It is nearly three months since I dated my first letter from this place, and nothing which we can see now indicates our immediate removal. When we first came here, I thought we should not stop long. But I was disappointed. Now, I think we shall moove as soon as the roads are passable, but I have no better grounds for such a supposition than I had at first. finally it is all mere conjecture any way.

 

            We may moove to-morrow, and we may not, at all, untill we start for home. It makes little difference when, how, or where we go, to me, for I have learned to content myself most any where. I promised to give you a discription of a ball team, but somehow, have forgotten it untill now. The ball was three or four miles / distant, the roads were muddy, and the weather stormy. There were three young ladies and one young man accompanied by a negro serv't woman and a negro driver. The wagon was a large double one, such as they use to draw manure in &c. and one that would compare very unfavorably with our New England wagons. A new top was put uppon it, a canves top spread over it, some straw put in the bottom uppon which the party seated themselves, the negro driver seated astride the near poll horse driving three horses, and away they went. Not uppon a trot or gallop, but with the slow and stately tread of a team that could not get through the mud any faster.

 

            No wonder that, as I stood looking after the team, the words of the poet were forcibly recalled to mind 

 

O lord gals warnt it excitin!

 

Two forty in a gig, on the road to Brighton

 

I was down to the house then, from which two of the young people went. From them I got some additional particulars such as how they came near geting wet in fording a brook (or branch, as they call it) and nearly geting stuck in the mud. It was quite a grand affair, they told me, costing about $1.50. Their onley music was from violins.

 

            Your letter of March 16^th, togather with the book and paper reached me the last mail.

 

            The contents were duly appreciated. I am just doing the agreeable by a chew of the gum. The writing paper was not wrinkled much. This uppon which I am writing is a sheet of it. Marion is on picket and will not be back before Monday morning. He is not quite so fat as he was, while I am 155 lbs plump. / I should not wonder if warm weather took off a part of it though.

 

            The weather here is rather stormy, this month. It storms about every other day. It is storming to day.

 

            Tell Helen that I do not believe more than half I hear, any way. Therefore I shall not credit onley half that word, which she sent to me.

 

            I have been mending my pants to day. Few, I think, would be willing to attempt to imitate me with the needle. I am indebted to the young lady at the house where I stoped for some valuble asistance in the art. I feel rather too lazy to write much now, but perhaps I will write some more, to night. while I am up attending to the guard I shall look for some letters to night. I will stop now and stir around a bit.

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