April 10^th 1863.

Camp near Falmouth Va

 

Dear Mother and Father

                        I had a letter all wrote to you and was going to send it off to morrow morning, but tonight I received one from you mailed April 6^th so I thought I would write a few lines more to let you know how glad I was to get your letter, and that you were a great deal better. I hope you will get better still. I was very much pleased to have a letter from little sister. It gives me a great deal of pleasure to hear how she gets along I assure you and you cant write too / much about her. I am glad that you are having spring weather. For I think that a warm south wind feel spring like. To day I have been at work in my shirt sleeves and sweating at that, and tonight the frogs are piping merrily which makes me think of home, you know that I could hear the frogs from my little chamber window. This evening I have been out playing Base Ball, and had a nice time that is the principal sport in the army at the present time. Wherever you go you will see squads of men playing that game. I want you to take a piece of black cloth, have it square / then take some white silk and work a clover leaf on it (see top). then cut it out leaving a border about a fourth of an inch wide around and put it in a letter and send it to me. All this corps are to have them so as to designate the 2^d Corps. The 1^st Corps are to have a diamond on theirs. The 3^d Corps a star. The reason why I want you to do it is so as to have a nice one. I received 2 papers from you last night. I want you to send me the trumpet every week for I like those letters in it very much indeed. I will not write to Addie this time but give her my love and kiss her every night for / me and when she says her "Lay me down to sleep" have her and take good care of bubber Georgy. But the drums are beating (tatoo) and that is a sign for me to stop writing. So after saying that I hope you all may be to see me home and that we may spend many happy years together which is my most earnest wish. So now good night and may you have all the blessings which we poor mortals can enjoy.

                                                                                   

From your Affect Son

George. H. Patch.

SOURCES