Pulasky. Dec 19^th 1863.

                                               

Dear Friend. It has been over a month now since I had the pleasure of receiving your last letter, but have not had a chance to answer it. we generally have about two days in camp and from six to twenty out the time seems to fly so fast now that I can hardly keep track of the days in the week a month is gone before I know it. it seems almost impossible that I have been from home nearly three years and my time is so near out. it will seem strange to be a free man once more to come and go when and where I please and not have to ask permision of the Captain or run to the Col for a pass, but I think the change will be agreable, at least I am willing to try it awhile. the principle subject of conversation in camp is reinlisting. some of the boys say they will and some say they will not. I profess to be one of the latter at least I think I shall see home first. /

 

I have been going to write to John for the last month but do not seem to get at it I hope he will not think hard of it for I shall write the first chance. You said you would like to tell Anna about that soldier I spoke of but it would do no good and then she might think I was meddleing with other peoples affairs. it is none of by business I know but I must say that I think anna is verry foolish. the young man I spoke of has been coresponding with her and esteems her very highly and will not believe that she is going to marry tom Eady. It surprises me some to hear that annas sympathy is with the South but I supose the whole family is the same way and of course she would be like the rest and they will see the day when they are ashamed to own it. You say you do not think the soldiers will come home the same boys they were when they went away. some of them will not I am shure. a young man can very easily be led astray unless they keep a strong guard over themselves and their actions. / the influence of friends at home has a great deal to do with the actions of the soldiers, more perhaps than they supose. a kind letter from a parent or some Christian friend will be read and reread by the soldier untill he knows it almost by heart it will cause him to reflect on his mode of living and to whatch himself in future.

 

I am thankfull for your kind and generous council and let me asure you that it will not be lost. my bible has been my constant friend ever since I left home and although I have at times been led to do evil yet I hope with the assistance of the almighty to return a better Christian than I was when I left. you said you would advise me not to buy any canned fruit I hardly know how I would live if I did not buy a can of fruit once in a while. I had some of it for my dinner as for the dirt it is about as clean as the most of what a soldier gets to eat. you should see some of the meat we draw or the watter we / have to drink sometimes you would think I had ate my peck of dirt.

 

I must close my letter and and clean up my gun. I hope these few lines may find you in good health and in writing humer and I shall be apt to get a speedy answer.

                                                                                   

Good buy for this time

                                                                                                           

Your Friend,

H.V.Hoagland

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