Camp Hopefield Arkansas

September the 30^th 1863

 

Dear and Beloved Wife

with feelings of Pleasure and respect it is that I will endeaver to drop you a fiew scribbling lines in answer to your kind and much welcomed letter which I received yesterday and it was received with the gratest of pleasure and it cheared me up considerable when I learned that you was all well But I was sorey to learn that you had the toothache

 

Well Cordelia I must tell you what I have been doing today while it is raining Well I just came off of guard this morning / and after I got my breakfast eat I went and cralled into my little dog house or what ever you may call it I will tell you how it is made Samuel Garver and my self built it and we stay in it our selves we have to boards about four feet long set up and to poles about ten feet long with one eand laid on the ground and the other eand up on them board and then we have it covered with boards and our oil blankets spread over the top of the boards to keep it from leaking and then we have some boards set up all around the outside and some / boards laid inside to la on so it makes a very nice little dog house well after I got my breakfast and got into our little dog house we fixed down our bed and and laid down and went to tormenting each other until we got tierd and then we got some of our books and red til we got tierd of reading and then we laid down like good children ought to do and to sleep and when we got tierd sleeping we wakened up and when then we bought one quart of buttermilk for five cents and eat a half a loaf of bread apeace and drinked our / buttermilk and then I thought I would right you a letter Well I was glad to hear that little Mary is getting so fat and harty I dont think she will hardley no pap when he comes home Well I dont no whether we will leave Memphis or not well I must close buy telling you that I am harty and I hope those fiew lines may find you all well so nothing more But I remain your Companion Hugh Bay

 

right soon     

                                                                         

so Good Buy   

                                                                  

to Cordelia A Bay and little children

[margin]

 

well you sed you would have molases enough to sweeten me well I think I will need sweetening

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