P.S. Direct your letter to Washington

D.C. 11^th Reg. Co C.

Care of Capt Dudley

Please write soon as you get this

tell Georgia to write

some of her Steam Poetry.

Park.

 

Arlington Heights Virginia.

Sept. 22^d 1862.

 

Friend Willie

                        I will now try and write you a letter to let you know that I am well and enjoying good health and hope you are the same. I never was in better health than I am way down South in Dixie. I dont have much to do and of course I ought to grow fat and enjoy good health.

 

Well Willie what are you doing these War times. Farming I presume. I think I had rather be a soldier than a farmer. I have got entirely sick of farming. I think I have got enough to do now for three years. / but I think it will be a short three years. I dont think it will be over three months. I hope not. dont seem so this war could last a great while longer. such great slaughters. it make my blood run cold to look around me see so many soldiers and weapons. probably there is not less than 15 thousand soldiers around us. it looks like War. here we are in the Rebel land. Old Virginia. not but a little ways from those Rebels. we expect to have a fight with them one of these days. I dont care how soon either. Well Bill I presume you would be glad to hear something about my voyage out here. it was a very pleasant one indeed. I never enjoyed myself so much riding before. to see so much of the world. I seen sights that I never expected to. the great City of Washington to be sure / Washington isnt what I expected it was. I dont think it is half so pleasant as Manchester. dont see nothing but soldiers and Niggers. I had even rather live in Westford than Washington. the Capitol isnt any thing very handsome. it isnt half so pretty as I expected to find it. Well what shall I write next I dont think of much news to write. here I am in my camp on the ground writing on my tin plate. so of course you cant expect to read decent writing. It is a new style of writing for me so of course you will escuse mistakes and poor writing. Oh Will I must tell you what a time we had Saturday we went on a grand review about a mile and a half under General Briggs. probably there was some thing like fifteen hundred there. it was / a grand sight to behold. we were on the right wing. it was nearly two miles long. our Company is the Color Company so of course we are in the most dangerous place. the 11^th New Hampshire Regiment. we have a band with us. that makes it rather more pleasenter for we like music as well as any one. Oh do the choir meet to sing now? I should realy like to be so I could run in over in a while. I presume the folks in Westford are all well. does Mr Hardyman preach now? we have preaching here every Sabbath and prayer meettings twice a week besides. I enjoy them very much. I think camp is the place to have meettings if any where. Well Billy I guess I have as much as you will care to read. therefore I will bring to a close. Please excuse all mistakes. Write soon.                                                                                    

Good Bye.

From E. P. French.

 

[margins]

 

Give my love to all the folks. I should be happy to hear from any of them.

 

Give my best respecks to Fred Hildreth. tell him to write. I wrote last.

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