Head Quarters

90^th Regt

New York State Vol

Key West

Florida March 31^st 1862

 

Dear Friend

it is with pleasure that I seat myself to inform you that I am enjoying middling good heath at present and I hope that this will find you the same it is some time since I have hurd from you and I feel very anxious to hear from you you wrote to me that your mother was was not very well I should like to hear from you to know if she has got well there is a considerable sickness in the 90^th / Regiment last night there was four out of Co E that was taken sick while on guard this morning there was one hundred and sixty that was reported sick at the Doctors call there is fifteen from the Company that I am in so we do not have a very large Company to go on Brigade Drill this afternoon we have to go on Brigade Drill from three oclock P.M. untill seven oclock P.M. three times a week.

 

we have to drill from half past six AM until a quarter past seven in the morning then from ten untill twelve we have target practice then from twelve untill three we have to get reddy for dress parade or Brigade Drill / two days we have to go on guard and two days we have to go on police duty so you see that we do not have mutch time to rest

 

there is not any war news here that would be news to you it makes the troops here rejoice to hear of the victories achieved by the union troops

 

we are glad to hear that the army under Gen M^cClellan has taken Manassas Junction it is jenerary thought here amongst the Officers that he will strike the death blow soon / I wish that we was with him to finish up the job &c. the late news from Florida has changed the our future prospects very mutch I dont think that we shall leave this Island before the war is over unless it is back to New York Colonel J. S. Morgan has ben abcent for the past week to Havannah I think that he went there to see about moveing but do not know for certain I must bring my letter to a close for it is a getting late so good by for the present give my respects to all you must excuse all mistakes in way of haste

                                                                       

from your friend

John William Hendrix

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