Hauls Hill       Oct the 9^th 1861

                                                                                    Friend Agnes

                                                                                    I take the opportunity to write a few lines to you wishing to fulfill my promise and I hope you will excuse me if I do wrong by writing this evening finds me in the enjoyment of health hoping when you receive these few lines you may enjoy the same great blessing also your kind mother and your brothers

I have not heard where where the 5^th pennsylvania regiment is encamped if I can find out where they are I will inquire for your brother agnes I have not the pleasure of sitting on a rocking chair to spend a pleasant evening but take my seat on the ground or rather on my blanket with four messmates who ar shareing the same comfort but I can find comfort where ever duty calls me when we left Elmira we went by the way of newyork I was in newyork city/two days. I enjoyed my journey very wel we was cheered at evry station by the ladies but they were all strangers to me it did not seem like coming through pennsylvania but a soldiers life is one of exposure and fatigue and I for one am going to enjoy my self as well as I can when I left home or at least I called it home it seemed more like home when I was boarding at your house than any other place I have been for a year but if I live to get through this war I hope to have the pleasure of meeting all of my old friends and associates but some of them may be laid beneath the [?] clods of the valley or I perhaps may lay my body down to [?] in the sunny south if I do it will be in the defence of the stars and stripes which I hope long may wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave. please tell cousin Mary that I am yet a live and kicking give her my best respects and tell her that I send her a soldiers kiss which can only be a wish give my respects/to Kate martin and to all the rest of my acquaintances in that place if you see cousin mary marshal you wil please give her my respects tell tommy stewart to send me a piece of his wedding cake and if he dont do so I will not call on him when I get home If I have the good luck to do so if you see gust tell him I am well and would like to see his countenance once more agnes we are now going out on a scout and I will have to close hoping soon to hear from you my friend I will now bid you fare well

write soon from your friend F C Miller
            direct to washington Lt colonel
            Stewarts regiment 50^th newyork
            in care of captain Ford Company A