Camp Benton Oct 2^d 1861

Maryland USA

 

            Dear Mother & Father

                                    I received your long and affectionate letter yesterday afternoon, and after being most discouraged in waiting for an answer I am amply paid by such a nice newsfull letter and I now sit down to answer it today. I am glad that you enjoyed your visit at Cambridge not withstanding that troublesome little witch Addie But I am very sorry that Uncle Elias is so miserable. What makes him so has he lost money or has he got the blues or what /

 

You tell me you worry unless you hear from me just so often I dont think that you can complain of me so far for I think I have kept my end up on letter writing, dont you. You tell Mrs Smith not to worry about James he is doing well and enjoys himself. Since I wrote my last letter thare has been a change in my situation Some companies in the Reg^t were smaller than others and to equalize the companies men were taken from large companies and exchanged into smaller companies. Jim and I volunteered to go into Co. H. Capt Wilson and here we are now and we like here very well and probably we shall stay here for some time /

You say you like to send me some thing good well we have a sutler in camp who sell tobacco raisins figs &c. He gives us a blank which we get filled out similar to this one you will see we present it to his counter and he gives us small checks such as 5, 10, 20 30, 40, 50, and 1.00 checks, an equivalent for our blank and pay day it is taken out of our wages. you cant draw only $4.00 per month I have drawn $2.00 this last month. You need not feel worried about our getting letters or papers we have got all our letters all right so far. I got the 2 Flags you sent me and I should like to have send me some more but I should like a Herald or 2 if you have a mind to send them. If Uncle Hiram enlists / let me know what Regt he goes in wont you. You want to know how I pay for my letters With that money father gave me I bought a few postage stamps and on this letter you will find the last one I cant get any here, and I should like to have you send me a few if you can conviently. Has Doby settled with father write and let me know about it. Also let me know about Elliot Wood and J Haley. I suppose Grandma Patch is alone now aint she Give her my love and Grandma & Grandpa Brown to tell them to keep a stiff upper lip and not worry about me. The way I happened to make that mistake was this I had a number of envelopes directed to father and through mistake put his letter into one of them envelopes and sent. I am sorry that uncle Alph got hurt. Our Major was talking with me and he said he was aqquainted with him. But I shall have to commence another letter.

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