Shanandoia Valley

Feb the 9^th

 

Dear Mother

This morning I will try and answer your most kind and welcom letter wich I received this morning I was glad you ware all well It found me in good health and also the rest of the Jay boys

 

Mother when I opened your letter this morning and see who it was from you dont know how glad I was for I like to read a letter from you I wish you would write every week but I supose it is hard work for you to write I know it was when I was to home /

 

Mother what do you think about the peace talk they are getting up now do you think they will make it out of corse you hope they will and so do I hope &c but I dont believe it will amount to anything but if they dont come to some settlement this spring you may look out for a hard campaign next sumer for they will try their ever lasting best But I hope our army will be successful at every point so that this sumer will bring it to a close

 

Mother I supose you have seen Olvin by this time I went to the station with him but I could not go any / further for the want of a furlow but fifteen days is to short a time to go home Mother you spoke about the box we got that just after wallace got back here every thing was all right in the box and I got the shirts and other stuff all safe and was very glad for it come in play

 

Mother Ephraim just come in here after my ax so you see we run backwards and fordwards just as we please I was over to wallace tent last night and Eph was thare and John Coolidge and we had a right old Jay talk So you see that the Soldiers will injoy themselves some times 

 

Mother I will tell you a Soldier has some good times and some offal hard times It has been very cold here this winter and very cold to day and it makes it very hard to stand picket Wallace and Eph was out on picket night before last and it was a terible cold night I thought of them in the night when I woke up and heard the wind blow I dont have to stand picket nor do no guard duty in the least I should not of been in the pioneer Corps if it had not been for Olvin but he has save me from a good many hard nights on pickets I dont have to do much now only to cut wood for head quarters about one day in two weeks and that is very lite work

 

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write soon as you get this

From your Son J A Torrance

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