Raleigh NCa Camp Martin Nov the 24^th 1861

 

Miss Sarah J. McDonald

 

Dear Miss

I embrace with pleasure the present opportunity of writing to you as I promised when we parted. To give you a true description of camp life would be too bad I will give you a few facts relative to it. We have removed from our old encampment to a new place about four miles west of Raleigh to a place that is considered more healthy than our former encampment. The health of our Company is only tolerable good [faded] we have several cases of measles in camp now Daniel P M^cDonald and Kenneth and several others with whom you are not acquainted are down with them Nearly all of our boys have a very bad cold. A soldiers life is certainly a life of hardships. No one can stay in camp more than one month without getting acquainted with hardships of the severest kind but in a cause like ours no one will complain at anything reasonable Our encampment is situated on the slope of a hill on the southern side where sun shines fair on it all day. I am good health at present your brother Daniel is also in good / health and doing very well and in good spirits. Hugh is also well and Malcom Blue Archy Johnson has been very sick he is now some better now though he is in bed yet

 

We have preaching in camp every sunday Some of us go to Raleigh to preaching every sabbath. our Col has forbid our going any more. My Dear Miss I have nothing more of interest to write this time. I expect to go home about Christmas. if I get to go I will go and see you before I leve. I want when I go home I want to stay long enough to go and see all my friends. I want to have something good to eat when I go kill a shoat and churn and and and chop the off the old rooster and so on and will take some of the rest of our boys along with me I know I shall be glad when I meet you all it seems to me that it would do me more good to see you than ever it did to see any person If I could only see some of my friends any person that did not care any thing for [?] to me now. Write to me as soon you get this if you please and tell all the news. write soon Direct your letter to Raleigh NCa in care of Capt J M Kelly. Give my respects the family except my best respects yourself No more at present. Your affectionate friend till death

                                                                                   

Neill A Patterson

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