H^d Qrs. Amb Corps

3^rd Division 6^th A.C.

Near City Point, Va. Oct. 31^st/64.

 

Dear Mother & Father

                        Having an amount of leisure time this evening I will devote a few moments to penning you a few lines to assure you that your Boy is safe & sound & thank the Lord in the blessed enjoyment of good health, hoping this may find you enjoying the same privilege. your dear letter written in / New York bearing date of Oct 26^th came duly to hand. I little thought you would be in the City by the time my last reached. I suppose you are at home by this time. I hope you arrived safe & found your man well. I expect he was rather anxious to see you, for it is something unusual for you to make such a long visit. it was just as I expected. I knew you would get the boots somehow, that is the reason I mentioned it in my letter to Aunt Clemmy. I thought it would come around / all right you know, ha ha. I am glad the box is on the way. if it started friday as you thought it would I will get it by the last of this week, perhaps by the coming thursday, if it dont lay in Baltimore but I think it will come through all right The express runs a boat in every other day, and a great many express boxes have come to the Army within the past two or three weeks. $12 is a big price to pay for boots, but if I had to buy them of sutlers I couldn't get / a pair of boots for less than 18 or $20 & then they would not suit me. so you see even at $12 they are a cheap pair to me. 6 or $8 saved is better than the same amount thrown away. the letters come through all right as you now address. you can still continue to address the same until I write otherwise. there is some talk of our going to the Corps but I cannot see it yet awhile. the movement of the Army has taken place and we are /

 

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successful, having gained all that was intended with but slight loss.

 

            The weather is beautiful, pretty cold nights and warm days. it is very healthy with us at present. there are some cases of the chills & fever in the Army Hospitals. But they are mostly new recruits. the old Soldiers have become accustomed to the climate and get along as well as if / at home. I am glad to hear Mrs. Brinley is still alive and Mrs Locey. I expect they both had a great many questions to ask, especially Mrs Brinley, for she is no talker, ha, ha. I am glad Aunt Hannah is so as get to New York once more. I dont hear anything from them down to the Lawn House. I wrote to Clemmy a short time ago. I hav'nt heard / from the Regiment since the last fight I dont know where Eseck is or any of the Boys in the Company. you see I am the only one from my Company belonging to the Train. there are several from the Regiment. there are seven of us who tent together. I will give you the names Serg^t. Kent, Jim Bowers, W^m Sarge Albert Stoddard W^m Ross & myself. John Imlay / they all belong to the 14^th but one, A. Stoddard he belongs to the 10^th Vermont and a good Boy he is. we have made a Jerseyman of him though and that isn't much honor to him.

 

there is somewhat of noise over in Butlers department tonight. I guess he is going to keep the Johnies awake by the sound of the Big Guns. I tell you they sound good. I dont know how it would seem / if I were out of hearing the rumbling of Artillery I'm sure it wouldn't seem like home. they sound so kind of nateral like.

 

            tell Aunt or Uncle if you hav'nt settled with them for the boots that they shall be paid as soon as Uncle Sam gives me my greenbacks and thank them for their kindness. I may repay them better one of these days, but I must now close or I guess you will / get tired for my pen is poor and I am getting sleepy. Write very soon. I will write as soon as I get the box to you & Aunt both, in case she may not have come home with you. May God be with you & bless you & the Good Lord look down upon this struggling people & now good night

                                   

Your loving Son

                                               

City Point, Va

In care of

Lieu^t H. D. Bookstaver

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