Camp of the 64^th N.Y. Vols.

                                    Near Brandy Station   Virginia.

                                                                          November 22^nd     1863

 

            Dear Parents   John and Lucinda Brown once more I catch up my pen and Paper to write you a few lines. I am well and in good health hopeing this to find you all the same. I received yours datedy dated of the 22^nd Oct. which has bin delayed some wheres on the road. you will Please be careful wile in the act of directing so as to make no mistake. the Post Master must took your 64^th for 69^th and you see Perhaps by being a little careless I may losse much mail from the best of my correspondants which I spose you know is the happiest part of a soldiers enjoiments. especily while living in the Field. Mother nuthing is more enjoing to me or any other soldier than to step up to the Capt when the morning camp mail comes in and receive a most kind and Beloved message from Home or from any of Grand-Fathers Folks or even from any of my old friends In the morning when the camp mail comes in and part of the Boys gets letters and some papers and the rest gets nuthing which is the happiest Set. Oh/I sure you the is a vast difference in and betwen the looks of those who get and those who dont get. those who get go on and read their news, then go at their duty if called on and do it with a cheerful heart and mind, as though they was at home and to work at his trade. but those who get non and hardley ever get an answer to those that they do write appear to feel sad and lonley and go round with their heads down, and perhaps feeling as though they hadent a friend on earth. but if I dont get a letter every maile that comes in well I say to my self it isent because they have forgot me but because they have so much to do or maby has bin a hard storm and cant get to the office and pass the day off as cheerful as I can. and maby the next mornings mail may bring me one & maby two or three. well it is getting late and I shall have to lay this aside untill morning, for we are now living under military laws and have to retire at such an hour, and have reveile at the early hour of 1/2 past 4 oclock in the morn/

 

after roll call and Tattoo we are not alowed to have a light, a burnning, or to laugh loud and make a noise to keep the camp annoied anoied or awaken from their hours, wich is alowed to them for sleep and rest which I presume we shall need before this week is over we are now under marching orders and expect to moove to morrow and when we get on the march again we are looking for a hard time untill we go into winter qtrs which we presume will take the Campaign-adency along quite late in the season. but we had a grand Review of this Corps yesterday and if you could seen the whole Corps when it came out and went onto the Pensila and seen it now you would have thought best for it to went into Winter qtrs along in the summer. altho we have received hundreds of conscripes and new recruits have come to fill once again. Fill the ranks of their brave and dearing comrads which have ventured before them at their countrys call to fight for their freedom—their Fore Fathers and grand Old Starey Banner./

 

but Oh let me tell you Father those that are at home now are to fraid to lend a hand in this business or else they dont like our Gen. Still Gen Warren is believed to be a man of honor and good mind and sens. Altho its verry true He cannot Fill the post of Gen. Sumner who was our Corps Commander when we broke camp at Camp Callifornia on the 4^th of March 1862 Bull Run and Manassus our First for to gain and now for to look back and see where They are. He with hundreds and thousands of others have gone to rest never to return to us here on earth no more. and sincerly trust in God that he may be with us & give us health first and mind to go on and follow their pathes and do as they have here before us done. Father I am willing to go on and help carry on this Govrnment and Proseedings of War, untill the last moment yes. untill the God of Heaven and Earth sees fit to sease the sound of the musket and cannons rattle from the battle-field, to be heard here in Old America no more. well it is getting late and I shall have to bring those few lines which I told you of on the comencement to a close by biding you all Good Bye Please Excuse all mistakes and correct. I hope to hear from you soon

 

From Yr Ever True Son Sarg^t Ephraim E. Brown To. Parents

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