Camp Chase, Ohio,

March 9, 1864.

 

My Dear Cousin Lucy,

                        It gives me pleasure to be able to inform you that through the kindness of Capt. Lamb & the authorities I recd. yesterday the last of the articles you sent me i.e. the hat, coat, pants, vest, overcoat, gloves & valise, & the 3 checked shirts. As you thought wd. probably be the case a part of the clothing is two large. The hat is exactly the size. The vest & pants fit very well. The coat is a good deal & the overcoat very much too large, so, as you request, I returned the two last to be exchanged. Should you have a coat made, please let it be cadet grey (or similar) a double breasted frock coat. The shirts are the very thing for prison life. Let me again assure you how highly I appreciate your generous kindness, my dear cousin. You have indeed made my irksome prison life comparative- / ly comfortable, as comfortable as it can be made. My books are my greatest comfort & contribute much to the happiness of my messmate & friend. I hope you have recd. my letters explaining the cause of the unusual intervals between my letters. I follow your advice about my cough. As the weather moderates, it is less troublesome, & I rather hope it will entirely disappear with the spring.

 

            Today a change for the better has been very unexpectedly made in our relations to the sutler. I mentioned in a former letter the few articles we were allowed to purchase from him. This morning his shop is teeming with such luxuries as canned fruits, oysters, sardines, cheese, onions, apples &c. You can imagine the rush made upon his / stores by 300 rebels cut off so long from such supplies. This leads me to hope you will be permitted to send some of the eatables you asked me about sending in a late letter. I will enclose this to Capt. L. with the request that he will add a post script informing you whether or not it will be worth while to send such a box. If the sutler is allowed to furnish luxuries, I should think surely friends would be allowed to do the same.

 

I enclose a short letter to my dear wife. I am somewhat encouraged to hope that I will not have to go much longer without a letter from home, as Gen^l Vance got one yesterday from his wife in answer to one of Jan. 28 & I wrote a day or two after he, di- / rected to Comdg. Officer Fortress Monroe, just as his was. I have felt very anxious about home since Sherman's Expedition was supposed to be moving on Selma via Demopolis. Mr. Tutwiler lives 40 miles North E of Demopolis & 50 N.E. of Selma. But now my mind is entirely relieved on that score.

 

            Remember me most kindly to your Mother & the children. I learn from Capt. Lamb that Cousin James is on Gen^l Gilmore's staff. I hope you hear from him regularly. I am very anxious to hear of Thayer's recovery.         Most affectionately, Your cousin,

J. W. Albert Wright

 

P.S. I rather expect to kiss my wife by the end of May—

 

The no. stamps issued to me is so small, I will thank you to enclose me a few—

 

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I am not aware that there will be any objection to the delicacies

will write you.                                                

RLamb.

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