Shanandoia Valley

Feb 25^th 1865

 

Dear Father & Mother

As I have been writing to Lucy I thought I would not use any purshality for I owe you one letter I am well and injoying myself first best but I know what you will say you will say I put the best side out and of corse I would not put the worse side out A Soldier has some good times and some rough times But while we are in winter quarters we have good times but of coarse if we should have to go on a raid like that one that / the boys had last spring when Owen was captured it would be some hard Daniel Otis was very lucky I tell you Alfred got a letter from him and he is paroled and he sayed he had heard Owen was dead I was in hopes he was alive if he was he would been exchanged this spring

 

Mother thare is very good news in the papers the Stares & Stripes once more floats over fort sumtur thare was whare the first blow of rebelion was struck and I guess they will begin to think that Richman is lost if grant holds him Lee in check while / Sherman drives them But perhaps Lee will get his army all together and drive grant out of his boots I hope not

 

Mother it rains offel hard to night I pity them that is on picket Pet is on to night he will think of home I guess Mother I have been very lucky about that I never stood on picket since I inlisted but I should not find any falt if I did have to The boys are all well from Jay I should not wonder if you would see Wallace to home this spring the talk is now that they are a going / to be discharge this spring. You know when they inlisted they had the promise that when the regiment time was out that they would be musterd out to I hope they will for they have served long enough let some body else try it that has stayed to home while they have been fighting but I shall have to close for it is bed time

                                                                                               

write Soon

 

From your Son

Ira H Torrance

To his Parrents

SOURCES