Newport News. Va. March 7^th/63.

Saturday Afternoon,

 

Dear Brother & Sister,

                        Yours of the 3^rd inst. has just come to hand and as it has been some fourteen days since I wrote to you before I will write before yours gets cold. yours found me well and may this find you the same, is the best wish of the writer. We have not been paid off yet. we have now four months pay due us. if we get our four months pay at once, I will send you about 200 dollars. how much do you need now to pay for your place. get along the best you can till we are paid off again, which I think will be before long. I have not seen Daniel in some time, but I heard from him. Fowler saw him when we left the Army of the Potomac. fowler did not come to the same place to take the boat that we did. he took the boat at bell plains. the 23^rd N.Y. / Reg't is on Provost duty there. fowler you know is in the Ambulance Corps. he was here today playing ball with the boys. Well I cant think of anything to write. I have wrote one sheet like this about full today to Jane Curtis. her sister Delphene is married P. D. Covell and Esther and Aunt Susan have been out to Ithaca this winter. P. V. Curtis is down to lockport building boats this winter.

 

            I had a letter from home this week. the folks are all as well as usual. Dave wrote that Jesse Moores youngest child died on the 18^th of feb with diptheria. Dave says tell Mary not to spoil her eyes looking for them, but to hitch up the old mare and come out while the snow lasts, for you will have to come out there if you see them this winter. so I think you will have to do the visiting if there is any done this winter. I would start pretty soon if that was all I had to do, but I cant go where I want to. I cant go out of sight of camp without a pass signed by a Brigade Commander. /

 

            I had a letter from Mrs Phillips this week. she said that Russel was sick. how does he get along now. it is not very sickly here now. we are in a very healthy place. this is one of the finest farms that we are encamped on that lays out of doors, only there are no houses now left on it, it lays on the east bank of the James River. the river here is about five miles wide. the bank is from 20 to 50 feet high. this is as nice a place to live in as anybody can ask for, but not at the present time. it is about 8 miles from Fortress Monroe.

 

so I guess I will close by asking you to write soon.

 

I have not had an answer from M. D. Wilson yet. and how does Baxter and Martha get along now.

           

I remain as ever your Brother,

            Lieu^t W^m Chase.

 

To G. W. & M. K.

Stoney fork. Pa.

 

Much obliged for the stamps.

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