April 8^th 1864

 

Dear Sarah     

                        I did not receive a letter from you last night so I will write sum more now. I came of from Guard this mornning about tenn Oclock then I went to my tent and kooked cooked me sum breakfast I had good soft Bread and butter, and a Mackeral trout boiled, apple Gous, and Coffee. I think it was a first rate breakfast for a poor Soldier to eat, but I have had equally as good living all winter. but if I was at home to eat some of Sarahs cooking I think it would reallish much better. we have just come back from watering/ our horses. they look pretty hard up I tell you. I have got a white horse now he looks like as if he was sent for and could not go. he will eat all the straps and roaps I can put on him. when I went out this after noon to water him he had just chawed of his halter and was running fast as he could go down in to the woods, so I took another roap and went down and cached him and took him to water, but he was to full to drink, and so I lead him back to the Picket line. You would laugh to see me clean him for he is all over and will not stand still half a minute at a time I wish I could be at home and have/ as good a one, or a span of them but if I get home I shall try and get a team of my own. Sis how does Old Tom get allong by this time I porsume he has a good deal of work to do in his old age. he is 17^tn this Spring

 

                        I suppose you ar having nice times this Spring eating warme Shugar. You and Luie must eat all you can for me. how I wish I could see Luie and his Ma I would get kisses enough I know, but I have got two or three hundred put up for them. I dreamed last night of being at home and seing you, and Dealia, and Edwin. I thought that you and Deal would tear me all to pecies a kissing me. tell Edwin and/ Deal when you see them I am the same old chick I was when at home, onley I do not have any women to bother me. but that is the worst part of soldiering for there is nuthing but men, and you know I am quite a girl Boy. but it has been so long since I have been in the company of ladies that I would appear vary course. You can not imagin how rough and un inviting we soldiers have got to be. we have lived in the woods 20 months like so many hogs, and it can not be wonderd at I do not think

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