Madison Wisconsin

April 29^th 1864

 

My Dear Friends

                        I had almost began to think that either you were very sick at home or you had forgotten me altogether. but Katies kind letter drove away all such thoughts

 

            Matters and things look rather blue just now though I have no doubt but what things will come out all right in the end. That letter of Secty Stanton will stop recruiting almost all over the state although the draft has got to take place in all districts and towns where their quota is not full. what looks blue is that the four companies of our Regt. that are mustered in have got to leave the first of next week and there is not much prospect of our company mustering in for a week or ten days yet and here I am working hard every day and paying a large board bill without getting one cent of pay. I have a good notion / to throw up my commission and give it up as a good-for-nothing job. it is nothing but a continual bill of expense. I dont care I will stay here untill I can get my back pay and then if nothing turns up I will let it go.

 

            I am going to change my boarding place next monday. they have raised here to $7 per week, and that is more than I will stand under the present circumstances. I dont know but what I told you that I tried to get a place where they charged from 5.50 to six dollars per week but they were full then and could take no more. Well Lieut. Benton of the 10 is boarding there and he wanted I should come there. I told him that I was not going to stay here. he said that he would find out what there price was and when I could come. yesterday he told me that where two of us took a room together it would be $4.50 per week and if I took one alone it would be $5.00 per week and that we could come next Monday. Well I am going, the rooms are furnished just as well, and the table is set just as well as it is here, but they dont try to put on the "style" as they do here. their "style" here is too much for me / My board bill is ony 17 dollars I shall pay it and go. I have got 50 men in my company have got to have 80 before we can muster. Our Col. lent men enough to other companies that if they would pay back we could muster and as for that matter we could have a week ago.

 

this is for Uncle=|| I tell you what I can do. if I dont succeed here I can go to work and raise men for these 100 day Regiments. if you think there is a chance for me to rais 30 men there that will get me a 1^st Lieut'cy. suppose you see || if I can get along here I would rather for I think this would be the best in the end.

 

            Now that I have got through growling I will answer Katies letter. I think it is too bad that she can't have someone there to tie her up in the chairs. I guess I will hire some one to step in every day and do it. untill I have more leasure time, my opinion is that you with Dr Page is borrowing considerable trouble about my foot. if you knew that I walked from 8 to ten miles every day you will think that I can't see the time when it has got to "come off". I was over to Marys last evening. they have got almost ready to leave. the house or place where they are going to boarding is not quite ready for them. / very likely will be by next week. I thought I told you about those flowers. if I did not it sliped my mind "intively". I read to Mary that part of your letter you wished me to tell them.—Well.—the flowers looked very well—considering the way the box got "jamed" she set out all of the slips she could and they are doing finely. Mary & H sends love. the former is going to write sometime.

 

            Give my respects to Libbie and tell her that there is some one else here that wished me to be remmembered also his rank is Capt. and the first letters of his name is "Henry Turner".

 

            But I must close as I have 3 or 4 more letters to write and it is getting late. love to all. My best respects to all who enquire.

 

            Write soon.

                                                           

I Am.

Trully Yours

Frank M. Phelps

 

Catha-"rine" "Phebe"                                                  

Dea and J. Tibbits

            Appleton

                        Wis.

SOURCES