N. Stonington Dec. 25^th/64

            My Dear Court

                                    I have received nothing from you the past week but will write you to-day so that you may not think I have forgotten you. It is Sunday and Christmas the last one I shall have to pass without you I hope. I have been to church. there has been the coldest weather for the past two weeks I have seen since you went away. I tell you I almost freeze sleeping alone. I am not ashamed to say that I am very thankful that it is the last winter I shall have to sleep alone, for my Court will be home with/me next winter. I am so lonesome to-day. How I wish I was with you wherever you are to-day. I hear a part of Butler’s army have gone off on an expedition. I hope the 21^st Reg. is not with him, but I am afraid it is and that is the reason you have not written. I am very anxious to hear from you. I hope you have been to Norfolk and had those pictures taken. I am anxious to see them. I don’t see why Butler did not let you come home. If I were you I would apply for another furlough in a short time. it wont cost any more to come home once in a while than it will to stay there. How I wish they would let you come home/and stay this winter. Wouldn’t we have a gay time though? I expect Ben’s folks will be down after Mother and I to go up there next Saturday. They want us to stay all winter but Mother says she cant stay more than four weeks. I think it would be best for her to stay as long as she can because she has such a hard time in the winter to do the chores. I wish you could come home and we could keep house and let her go and then we would not have to get up so early in the morning. You remember she used to call us up, but that was in the summer such short nights I never saw. Dear Darling Court I do feel so much troubled about you because I do not get a/letter. I am afraid you are fighting. I love you so much to night dear Court. If you were situated as you were last winter I could come and see you could I not? Do you have to fight when the regiment does while you are commanding the Pioneers I hope you don’t. I don’t know what makes me so much troubled about you to night. I hope I shall get a letter soon that will dispel my fears. I hope you are all safe but cannot help being troubled about you I wish you could resign and come home, for if anything should happen to you what should I do! If you were killed it would kill me. You are all I have and I love you best of all. I have other friends that I love but you my own dear Court I love the best. Nothing can change me. I shall always love my Court. Do write soon and often as you can. Don’t forget Mary she will never forget Court.

                                                                                                            M. L. Stanton