20^th Conn Vols.

Tantallon Tenn.

Feb. 19^th 1864

           

My Dear Parients,

                 Your letter of the 9^th with the money stamps and thread I recieved safely yesterday and thank you very much for them all. I like the way you send the money send a little and if I never get it will not be so much loss I was very sorry to hear father was sick and most sincerely hope that by the time this reaches you he will be well again. No news of importance to write the same old routine of duties in camp / I am on guard every other night I go up to Cowan every morning to our Regt Head quarters and get the mail a distance of seven miles. I ride on the cars. Cowan is the other side of the mountain the road runs through the mountain a tunnell 2228 feet long is cut through the solid rock all the way it is dark as Egypt in there. This side to the tunnell is all the way up hill and from the tunnell to Cowan it is all down hill. the R.R. company has to keep extra engines to help trains up the mountain on both sides and I generally ride on the engines when I go after the mail. So you / see I have a good ride every day. Capt Post is now in command here. Capt Woodruff is in command at Tracy city since Capt. Upson was wounded. The reason why Capt Woodruff commanded when Capt Post is here, is because he Woodruff is the ranking Capt has the oldest commission. I think you had better send my watch by mail and get a reciept for it and then if it is lost you can get pay for it. The weather which has been warm and pleasant is now quite cold dont think I shall go in for another wash very soon as the weather now is. I recieved a letter / and picture a few nights ago from where I least expected it. I dont think you can guess. so I will tell you twas from Essex. Dont tell anyone of it about home I will send the picture (if you will send it back) in my next. I wish I had one of those pics such as you give old Bill. I wish I had one for every letter I bring down from Cowan. Joel Smith has got a furlough and started for home but I am afraid he will not live to get there. he has been sick quite a while. Our Regt has lately recieved a lot of fish and tobacco from the ladies of

 

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Bridgeport. The codfish are first rate and the smoking tobacco was not very bad. Many of the companies in the Regt have had boxes come from ladies aid societies. Where is the Ladies Loyal League society in Portland have they forgotten they have a company in the field Other societies send their companies something why cant the Portland folks wake up. I guess as the L.L.S. dont send us anything you had better if you can send a box to Hen and I he is writing to his folks about it now Send me some dried beef butter cheese and fill up the chinks with cakes and apples. send it with Hen's folks together send a good big box Another bunch of cigars would be first rate I guess pies would keep Have the box come in Hen's name as he is the ranking officer

 

Send me a pair of suspenders. Mark all of my things so I can tell them Hen

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