13^th Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers.

Arlington Hights Camp Chase Va. Oct 26 1862

 

Dear Ari

                        I received your letter last night and was very glad to here that you are all well. (I have just had a good run to see one of the Maine Reg pass our camp and I am all of a tremble.) I will tell you all the news that I know and that is but little. we left Upton Hill last Sunday night at sunset and come back to Camp Chase wher we had to lay on the ground and it was cold as the D—l. but I looked out for myself I tell you I got an old tent and roled up in it where I kept warm enough the next tuesday we moved again about ½ mile were we are in camp there are a grate many camp grounds / within a mile that are all called Camp Chase. you say that you heard down to Rye that I was teamster. I will tell you who is. you know that long Jon^a that you saw down to Portsmouth in Davices saloon that made so much fun. he and his name is Styles he and Robert Foss of Rye is teamsters. I have not been sick nor thought of it I never had better health in the world as long as you are all well and doing well I dont want to come home this winter although I should like to see you and Elmer just about this time. some of the boys are as homesick as can be thay would giv all of their bounty if thay could go home. I tell them I would not go home if they would give me my discharge. you wanted to know if we had any thing to eat. if you could have had some of our / baked beans it would make you laugh. we dig a hole in the ground and heat it and put the beans in and cover them over and thay bake firstrate. I get enough to eat. some of the boys growl but thay had nothing to eat at home I suppose. it rains in torrents and I have got to stand camp gard right out in it but I have got a rubber blanket and havelock cap that will keep me dry I am called now I must wate a while.

 

Monday night I have just got a chance to finish this letter. I stod gard yesterday & last night and it raind as fast as it could. I did not get a chace to sleep but about an hour so I dont feel much like writeing. I tell you, but I came out top of the heap I did not get cold a bit. but the weather was very cold for auld Va /

you want to know if gold & silver is plenty out here thunder I have not seen enough to tell one peas from another sence I have been out here Oh I want you to send me one postage stamp every time you wright I cant get one with paying 5 cts thay are in such demand. one is enough to a time for thay get spoild.

 

I cant think of any thing to wright tell Father that thay are fighting like blazes at harpers ferry now about 30 miles from us thay are driveing the rebbels thay say

 

Tell Elmer to be a good boy and daddy will send him something when I get a chance I will send him a verces that I found in the straw in our tent. you change the word her to his and it will be very appropreate I think you can put it in your scrap book

 

well I must close if you can read this you will be lucky

 

giv my love to all good night            

S. B. Tarlton 

 

Oct 28 I forgot to tell you to send the Ballot the boys say thay will pay for it if you will send it. when you back your letter put the letter K on a little plainer it went to co H befor

                                                                                   

Yours &c        S. B. Tarlton

 

[margin] wright as often as you can if it is every day

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