term of soldiering here below

We are lying here at California watching which way to jump at the rebs I received a letter from P I will leave you to guess when I wish you would wait next time untill Cynthia has got dinner and you have eat it will not take much longer and then you will not have to quit for dinner I guess I will have to stop for supper please excuse this short letter if do quit for supper but let me tell you that I will have no sweet potatoes for supper but hard tack and coffee I had some bioled cabbage for dinnar but it was not very good because we did not have the stuff to make it good (exit for supper) (enter after supper) I am writing on the caison/ and the wind blows my paper very bad California is a nice little town the rebs made it visit and tore up the railroad for a considerable distance they tiped the track bottom side up by takeing ahold on one side just as thick as they could stand for about 1/4 of amile in aplace and piled rails of the fence on it and burned the ties sweet potatoes are worth $4.00 pr bushel down here aint that cheap 4 bushels for one months wages I have paid $225.00 on my lot and I think I could pay the rest by the 1^st of next month if we should be paid then but I have untill next August to pay it What is Maria post office address please tell me in your next I expect we will march to morrow or next day toward the west it is only about 100 miles to the Kansass line I do not know/ whether we will keep on untill we get there or turn someother way the sun is just set and I will have to wind up pretty soon I take care of two officers horses at $5.00 per month each it does not require a great deal of work for that money and besides that it keeps me out of mischeif and from spending so much money I have not received any letters from Beagles since my fourlough neither have I from Jos folks but would like to

 

I remain as ever your brother

 

                                                Jefferson S. Loveridge

good night I must go and feed my horses some hay which we are blessed with now

 

P.S. direct Jefferson City Mo via S^t Louis with the usual other directions/

 

PS Tell Lew that I wrote to him some time ago have received no answer in return and would very much like to hear from him and the same to J O White with my best respects to all I will quit once again if nothing else strikes me Our band is out playing bonie Eloeise of the mohawk vale and it sound beauttifull I tell you and there is another one off a little farther playing the battle cry of freedom My best respects to all inquiring friends of either sex once again good night

                                                            JSL

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