Camp Banks

Baton Rouge, Apr. 1^st. 63.

 

Dear Nellie.

                        I rec. your kind & affectionate letter of the first of Mar last night. I had made up my mind that I should get one in this mail, but yesterday morning when I came in from picket guard our boys had all gone out on the Port Hudson road felling trees so that our batteries can have a better rake at the rebels should they make their appearance in that direction, leaving only a few sick ones in camp. As soon as I found out that the mail had arrived I made enquiries if thare was any letters for me & they all were quite sure thare was none / Perhaps you can imagine my disapointment, but as a soldier has to learn to be patient & hopefull I contented myself that I should surely get one by the next arrival You can imagine my happy disapointment when the boys come back to find that Sam Hersom had the long looked for letter for me in his possesson. It was nearly dark when I got it, but I soon devowered its contents without the aid of a candle. Not the pretty little minature of yours although I felt like devowering it with kisses, neither was it that little keepsake of a heart made from your hair both of which arrived safe & are safely put away inside the case of that big picture of yours, which I always carry in my vest pocket. But the writing I ment to have said. I was glad to see by your likeness / that you are enjoying so good health, which your round cheeks & healthy expression indicate. Realy Nellie I do think you have improved in looks since last I saw you combing your hair above your ears makes you look a great deal bolder than usual. I wish that aunt of yours could see you now if she should call you homely now I never would own her for an aunt as long as I live. As my sheet is fast filling up I must change the subject Our Co. & regt. is reduced down so so much that we have to go on guard every third day, which with our other duties keeps us pretty busy. Thare has been three or four deaths in our company since last I wrote you, but only one from West Waterville Harriss Farnham who spent a part of last summer thare & enlisted as waiter for Capt. / Hubbard. When he was taken sick he was carried down to N. O. whare he died on the eighteenth inst. The most of the rest of the boys are on the gain & some are coming back to their Co. whare they seem to gain faster than in the hospital. We chums of West W. have been quite lucky as to sickness, none of us have been in the hospital except Henery Macartney who is now in the tent with us and is doing well Will Wyman is the only one but what is enjoying tolable health now, he seems to be runing down & cant account for it I hope he will be better soon for if he dont he will have to go the hospital whare they have to take their chance to live or die & some times I think they are hurried off by the improper treatment which they receive. The change of climate is the principle trouble which will take some time to overcome But thanks to the wheels of time which ever keep on the same course have we have but a short time longer to suffer in this God forsaken land According to Gov. Colburn's word we shall be discharged at Augusta by the tenth of June, which glorious news is hailed with joy by every one Troops are shifting about here all the time some three years men are coming up the river & the nine mo. men are going down As my sheet is almost full I must close. Remember me all enquiring friends Accept my best love for yourself.

                                                                                               

Yours as ever John To Nellie

 

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I wrote you a letter soon after our expedition up the river

I liked to have forgotton to tell you that our Capt is under arrest for passing outsiders over the pickets when he was officer of the day soon after coming back from up river he seems to feel awfull bad about it & is loosing flesh fast I suppose he will be courtmartialed shortly & likely enough discharged from the service Lieut. Pinkham was taken sick when we were up the river & has not yet reported for duty so all the officer we have is Lieut Libby. I understand that Henery Ricker has gone home which is the best news I have heard latly

 

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write & write often

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