Hilsborrow Va Nov 1^th 1862

 

            Mr Heath sir

                        I though that I would write to you once more to let you know that I am well and hope you the same we are camped about 3 miles from the rebels thay drave in our pickets last knight and we shal have a fight if thay do not fall back before menny days the boys are all well but George Merrill and Hinman thay ware left in the Hospital at Washington sick we have to march from 10 to 20 miles a day we are about 100 miles from Washington and 25 from Harper Ferry thare are about 60 thousand man here in Burnside army we are in Whipple devison but we are not bregaded yet mos cant be at pesant thare is grate disatfaction in this rigement about thare officers/

 

it is pay day here the midle of this month and you will git 10 dollars of each months pay from the state trasure I sapose you must see that my woman draw her town bounty and let her have some monny enny to use if she wants it we sined the pay role yesterday to get the pay so you will get it before before long I guess I hav not got enny letters from Warren for three weeks for we have ben marching all the time we are all tiard out if I ever get home once more I shal be likley to stay thare it is harder than haying for you we do not get enny thing to eat but harde bread and salt pork the bread is magety I wish that I could get some of Mrs Writes bread to eat it would tast good to me we steel all that we can from the citerden thare hogs and gees and hens and sheep thay keep some of the boys/ under arist all the time for steling the army is garding the rebels propety here if ever I get home I will tell you all about it so I must Close

 

                                                                                    give my best

                                                                        respects to Mr and Mis

                                                                        Wright and French

                                                                        and all the rest

                                                                                    Write soon

 

                                    Direct your letter to

                                    Rufus L Colby Co G 12 Reg

                                    N H V Washington DC

                                    Whipple Devison

 

                        Write all the news you can

 

I think that I shal bee to home in the spring soon anough to work for you in haying if not before                             R. L. Colby

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