Camp Casey Near      

Alexandria Va

Nov 6 1862

           

Dear Ari I now take my pen to answer your letters I received yours of the 3^rd last night. I have not had a chance to write for 2 weeks allmost we have been very buesy a moveing. last Saturday we was going to have a grand review of a bout 25,000 soldiers. we got on to a line when the order came to march about 5 miles to camp casey but I did not stop there. I went out on picket about 5 miles farther which made 10 miles to march without any thing to eat for twenty four hours but we were stationed to a house were I got a good breakfast / Sunday morning by paying for it. I eat my moneys worth Ill bet. only 25 cts. we were stationed on the rail road. we picked up 6 skedadlers 3 darkeys and 3 whites from ther Regs you said you was glad we had got back so near Washington it dont make any differance we get the letters just as soon as before. Edward Miller deserted from our co he belonged to the Rye squad he was a German he got his $400.00 and left when I was at home on a furlow and has not been heard from sence. send out Elmers minature when you get it I got a new dress coat last night and know I will have mine taken when I get a chance I guess it will look pretty. I have / not been shaved sence I was at home. I must go on gard now. it is now ½ past 2 oclock and I hav just come off gard. it is very cold and lookes like snow. tell Elmer that Papa will write to him the next time and you must get the letter out of the office for him. you talk about being lonesom you must not think about that for I am coming home one day and let you come out here and see how you like old Va where the houses are about 1 mile apart. Tell Elmer to cut som good stout teeth for he may have to come out here when he gets big enough and eat salt horse. we expect some to winter here we are building a fort here we shant do any fighting I dont beleive. the Col says we shall go home in the spring. S. B. Tarlton /

 

We are about 8 miles from Washington on the south side of a big hill. the boys are pretty well I am well with the excepion of a little cold. I dont get a chance to be sick thay keep us on duty all the time. it is one day on camp gard the next picket gard. the next building forts the next battallion drill, the next inspection, the next clean the camp ground and clean our muskets and brasses, and Sundays have meettings. well I must close for I have to go on gard again or get fined thay punish us by takeing our wages thay fine us so much just what thay see fitt

 

well good by my respects to all write as often as you can I cant writ worth a damn S. B. Tarlton 

 

Camp Casey Nov 7 /62

 

            Dear Ari I thought I would write you a few lines as the mail will not go to day. I hav just came of gard and it snowes as hard as I ever saw it in N.H. it comenced to snow about 7 oclock this morning. there is about 3 inc on the ground and looks likeley to a foot. we have got a large sybley tent and a bulley good stove in it so we can keep as warm as if we were in a house. we had baked beans for breakfast and thay were first rate. the cooks saved me 2 rations because it snowed so and I was on gard. I live first rate kinder slyley. good by S. B. Tarlton

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