Portsmouth Va. 

                                                            Monday Morning Aug. 24 1863

 

My Darling Mamie

                                                It is my turn to ask forgivness now. I recd yours of the 16^th three days ago & have been so busy that I have not answered it till now. When I first read it I thought I would answer the first thing I done. it was such a precious letter. It made me feel as those used to that I recd. when I first came out. I felt happy & still there was tears in my eyes You say you are sorry you wrote that letter the one before this I am not; I would be willing to be mistrusted & willing that every other letter should be like that if the succeeding/ones would be like your last I shall feel uneasy about you untill I hear from you again. I hope you will have the measles & get over them nicely I wish I might have been at home not that I think I could have been of any service to you more than what will I trust be rendered you; but I should have seen you all of the time & could have known at any moment just how you were getting along. I hope by the time this letter reaches you you will have had them & be getting over them. The heat has some what subsided, but it is still quite warm. There are a good many sick I had a letter from Ed./Wheeler yesterday. I suppose you knew he was at home sick. We are anxiously waiting for the news of the downfall of Charleston Meanwhile things look as if there might be “something did” here. The troops on the front are at work night & day fortifying which looks as if they expected an advance from the direction of Suffolk Sedgwick’s (the 11^th Army Corps) is at Newport News but whether to operate in this Department or to leave after recruiting their health I cannot tell Various and many rumors are afloat of changes with us but I think they are meerly rumors There is one thing though that looks bads for us Maj. Crosby/is under arrest for giving a Pass to a woman with which she succeeded in getting through the lines to the Rebs. But that may be all right in a day or two—I think I shall be bald headed again this fall My hair is coming out badly

 

I hope to be at home with you this winter. I already live in anticipation. I dont know but I shall be sadly disappointed but still I will be hopefull At any rate I begin to think that unless some stray bullet or contagious disiase picks me off I shall stand it to get home. I must close Good bye Daling if you are sick, remember Court pities you if well that he feels thankfull In either case he is constantly thinking of you & always loving you

 

PS I have just recd another letter from you

 

I opened your letter I read it when I came to that “Gin” I had to laugh heartily althouh all alone You would have been pleased to have looked in at the door & seen me laughing

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