Send a paper of Corn Starch

July 4^th 1864

Camp near Petersburg Va

 

Dear Parrents I received your letter about five minutes after I had sent my last one but this so I will now answer it we are well as usuall except that I have got a bad diarhea but it is some better. it is the coldest 4 of July that I ever saw it is cloudy the first cloudy day that I have seen in Va. it is awful dusty the trains keep going by all the time step in the road and the dust will fly just like a pan of ashes we are not Gen Hookers escort now but are Gen Smiths. Gen Banks was down to Burmuda Hundred the other day with 40 thousand men tell Mrs gavit that I should like some of that brown bread as well as she would like to have me but dont / say anything about custard pie if a man should say custard pie here I would choke him. we are lucky if we get hard tack and salt pork enough I'll bet you dont catch me in the army again after I get out for I had rather have my own way a little more I dont like to have a man tell me to do a thing or I will make you but after I get out then see I suppose strawbryes and blue berries are just getting ripe do they have any celebration at Whitinsville this 4^th and what kind of a time did the boys have. I wish you could have seen me yesterday before I shaved I will bet you would not have known me I have not shaved before for two months and have not seen a looking glass in that time untill yesterday and I am charmed if I know my self I want you should send a little greass if you have not sent the box and do the candles all up in papers separate and pack tight. I received Marys letter and / have answered it I am willing that you should get a cow and hope you will get a good one. I am glad to hear that Father likes his horse so well I have got a little gold ring that has been broken that I want to send home but it is to heavy to send in a letter it came from South Carolina July 4^th 1864 Camp in the Woods 2 miles from pettersburge 10 miles from know where and 18 miles from richmond

 

Send the box as quick as you can (sick of hard tack

 

Dear parents thought I would right a few lines to let you know that I am well hope to find you the same I suppose father has got done hoeing for the first time. corn out here is 3 feet high there is achers of it to there is a great quantity wheat and oats. We have plenty to eat most of the time We have been in one place for two weeks I dont like / stay in one place to long I want to go round and see the contry I like to go out on a raid chase the Johnneys. have otis folks herd any thing from gorge ballou. has there any body enlisted from round there. have they drafted in northbridg

 

tell otis I guess I shant come home to help him get in his hay because I have got a prety good job out here.

 

When you send that box I want you to send some sugar dry apple meal flour saleratus and 10 hands of [faded] tobaco. Send some mapil shugar dont send any thing that will spoyl one of our boys had a box come with pie and cakes and they were all soild When you send the box send a letter

 

I must close this letter and go and cook my dinner so good by FPB

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