Washington the 10^th 1861
       Camp leslie

                                                            Most Respected Friend

I again (take) the pleasure this beautiful sunday afternoon to answer your very welcome letter which came to hand on last evening and was gladly received by me its pages were penned with much pleasure only I wish it had been much longer you need not fear of a soldier getting tired of reading long letters I only wish I could get more of them to read. Agnes this beautiful sunday afternoon does not find me in the enjoyment of very good health but still able to be up I cannot tell what my ailing is yet, but I hope when you receive these few lines you may still be in the enjoyment of health/also your kind mother and little brother. on fryday last this regiment got their pay and such

a whooping and cheering

and handling of bills and gold and

silver and counting of money in

general. and when night came such runing of the guard to get down in the city. the next question where did all of boys get to, why the next morning the guard house was full and runing over. well the next thing these boys were brought up before the colonel some were sent back to the guard house others put on extra duty while some few were kept in their tents in the street. I have been out in the city since I last wrote to you and was down to see Thomas Stewart and Marys husband and B Huffman and all the rest of my old Bridge mates they were all well and hard to work    Marys husband looks/very natural. you can tell her when you see her how her husband is getting a long and tell her I do not want her to use that Broom stick when he comes home also give Margy my best respects and also to the Miss Kents and Miss Martin to my cousin and tell her to write you can give her the directions if you please. we are yet encamped on the east potomac and it is likely we will stay here this winter our living is much better than it has been but all that I have eaten to day is a little piece of toast bread and butter we can get butter here by paying twenty five cents per pound. well agnes I have just been out of my tent to look around and see what the boys are doing some of them are fishing others are washing their clothes while others are writing to their lady loves and some who are to lazy to do anything are/carelessly lounging around their tents but now evry man at this minute are called out to go to services but I don’t feel able to go so I will continue on writing to my friend agnes. there has been to companies ordered out on duty to morrow to cross the river and co A is one so If I am well enough by morning I will shoulder my musket and take provision with me to last one day and March agnes I wished you could just come and see how we live in the camp but I have it much nicer than most of the boys. I tent with the sargent major we have a fire in our tent and a writing table and a floor which keeps us from sleeping on the damp ground besides a good many other little things which come very handy to a soldier well agnes I will now bring my letter to a close hoping soon to hear from you your judgement about that [?] streching hemp is a good one. I now bid you good by for the present. From your ever sincere and devoted friend

Francis C Miller