Camp Bowers Near Portsmouth V^a       

June 7^th 1863

 

Dear Ari

                        I received your letter yesterday but not the package. did you put it in the post office at the same time you did the letter. I am well and hearty enough to eat green peas for I had some for dinner. we have all kinds of good things out here. it is a beautiful country I should like to live here if it was not for slavery. that kills every thing. the white people here what is left of them are an ignorant set of beings. thay dont know the day of the month one half of them I have not seen a schoolhouse in the country since I have been out here. we are building forts and roads / yet. we are fortefiing down here so we can hold Norfolk and Portsmouth if we cant hold Suffolk. some think that the rebels will drive us out of Suffolk but I dont see it. Yesterday was my birth day and I had a good time to. our Col. gave us the afternoon to play and go where we pleased only look out for the provo gard and be back again by six oclock. so we thought we would have a wash and as the darkeys says we started for the river right smart get I reckon whitch is about a mile of and striped of our cloths and had a good swim. it was quite a show to see so many in the water all at once. there was all of our Regt and / a part of the 10^th N.H. Regt. thay are in our Brigade. thay take the place of the 25^th N.J. thay have gorne home as their term of enlistment had expired whitch was 9 months. thay went home last week.

 

You spoke about some of the soldiers wifes. you thank God you ant like some of them. you are like one we read about in the good book perhaps. I have just commenced to write with the new pencil Elmer sent me. it just come in to days mail. everything is all right all safe. that is a nice little knife tell Elmer I am much obliged to him. I have not had any comb except a piece of one that I found since I come out here Elmers things he sent me are worth the most / to me just now. I had just got out of tobacco and no mony to get any more with. I have begged untill I was ashamed to any longer the stockings I was glad of although I have 3 good pair now. you spoke about my shirts I guess you dont know we can draw them from the quarter master every month. I have not drawed any sence I left Concord. I wish you had put in a towel insted of that handkechief for somebody stole my towel the other night so I have not got any now. it was lucky for you that you sent that paper if you want me to write to you for I could not buy any with out mony. I guess you would laughed to see the boys rush into my tent to see what I had got from home / the boys thought I must have a smart little boy to send his papa such a nice knife as that. the boys had quite a dispute about what it cost and I want you to tell me what the knife did cost And I want to know how many months pay of state ade you have got and also how much a month as some of the Rye boys say thay dont get any. well but I must close it is most time for dress prade. give my love to all of the folks. tell Elmer papa come home some time when he ant lookeing for him. Lieut / Coffin has sent in his resignation. I dont know what for. Lieut Col Bowers has resined and gorn home. Lieut Parker of Co. H has resined and gorn home. well let them go I would like to have the pay thay got.

 

After Dress Prade       we had a meetting. that is we had a prayer and singing, and music by our band. thay play first rate.

 

            this is a mixed up letter if you can make out what it is you will do well. I must close.                         

 

Good day        Corpl. S. B. Tarlton

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