Bealton October 29^th 1863

 

Dear Wife

                        I seat my self to let you know where we ar and what we ar a doing. I have not had a letter from you in so long that it seams all most as if I wer set away off in some place allone with out any friends and where no one could get to me. but I hope the light will shine through be fore long and be pleasant and all right onse more. I feal out of patiance some times be caus the mail runs so irregular and does not come once in two weaks. it came in yestarday/ but no letter for Albert but I hope the next time I will get one. when I wrote you last we was at Manassas Junc but that night we had come here to follow up the Rebs, so about four Oclock the next morning we arrived here a distance of 15 miles from Manassas, and here we ar yet I suppose to wach the move ments of the Rebs but they say they have gone back accrost the River to say I guess, and well they might for we have got men enough here to wipe them out in a hurry. how many men we have here I do not know the 6^th NY Cavalry is about half a mile from here. Jerome Halbert was here last night he sayed that Ishmeal Smith/ was wounded the other day in a Sermish with the Rebs and taken prisoner. they took a Reb prisoner the next morning and he sayed that he saw Ishmeal and that he was wounded in the head but how bad he did not know. I hope not vary bad. I suppose his Father has hurd from him by the way of Mr Halbert. I hope that I never will be wounded and captured but I do not know what will come one minute after an other. but O will God spear me from all harm and allow me soon to return home to day is pleasant but not vary warm. the leaves ar all falling off and it seams like fall in good urnest. I/ mis the apples about this time a year. I never was so apple hungry and cabage hungry and hungry for any thing that you rase in the garden as I am now and when we get in to winter quarters I shall have a box sent with such stuf in. I have not hurd from the box you sent me yet but I hope I shall after a while. I have wrote to the New York Express Company to see if they know any thing about it I hope I shall find it there but I shall know in a weak or or two. there is  no in habitance any where arround here. they have all left. I never see such a desolate Contry as this is no body lives arround where they yous to. you can not tell how war affects the contry. no fences no houses and no nothing but a desolat Contry. O for this cruel war to be over, I say, but I must end for this time hoping it will reach you all well and enjoying your selves, and it find you and bubby well as it leaves me. O what a comfort good health is. tell Mrs Halbert I see Jerome last night he is well and looks vary healthy. give my love to all our folks. pleas give me Edwins Post Office addres next time. fromy your Old Man or Soldier Boy just as you have a mind to call me                 Albert R Whitney

 

Sarah & Luie

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