Jefferson Barracks Sept 27^th 64

 

Dear Brother

                                                                                    It is with pleasure I again pick up my pen to try and interest you alittle by narating a few things to you as they pass We have now been under orders to march at a minutes notice for three days past day before yesterday we had orders to load on to the cars at 7 oclock AM precisely we got ready but no cars came last night about 11 oclock there was an order come to lead in to the cars at 12 oclock exactly We got up and hitched up and stood by our horses untill daylight and about 2 oclock it commenced to rain and kept it up nearly all day and the consequence is I have wet blankets to sleep on to night and the prospect is that it is agoing to be rather cold

 

There is plenty of rebs about 100 miles south of us where I expect we will go there is troops going down there every day besides some comeing back there was 65 rebs came up from there to day that was taken without fireing a shot the fellow that I took the horses from below was a rebel soldier Our boys that was taken down in there heard them speaking about the same thing only they said it took us both and it only took the one/

 

There is about 10 of our old that is to be mustered out in a few days The nights a very cool here now 3 heavy woolen blankets is not very much for to sleep under now every thing is plenty here now but rather high priced potatoes are worth $2.50 per bushel and some as high as $3.50 per bushel butter (fresh) 75 cts per pound and for a decent hat $8.00 to $18.00 for pants good from 25.00 20.00 dollars that is officers uniform clothes dress coat from $35.00 to $50.00 The country is very broken and uneven here as far as I have seen and agreat deal of stone We are encamped in sight of S^t Louis allthough it is 18 miles up there I was up there and staid two days it is rather a filthy looking City I have not had a letter from Jos folks since I have been down here from my fourlough and I would very well to hear from him What do you think of this kind of paper for writeing in I think it first rate just big enough if you fill a sheet you have a good sized letter and if you want to put in two sheets you can do it without takeing up two envelopes and if you donot want to write a sheet full it wont take up any more room and this only cost 40 cts per quire very cheap I think dont you down here in this/ land of the wilderness The cars are just passing I expect Byan is rather strong M^cClellan is [?] not How soon do you up there in a civilised country ca think the war is agoing to last yet now at this time I think I will be at home or some place else next fall out of the army I did not tell you any thing about our up river trip from Memphis to this place We left Memphis the 6^th and arrived in Cairo Ill the 8^th and and loaded the 9^th from the boat and stayed there untill about the 14^th and such a camp as we had the weed were about 10 feet high and so thick a person could not see through them the day before we left there we went to work a cleared them all away so that we had a nice camp with the expectations of staying the some time but such is the changes of the soldier I would like to stay here all winter if they would put us in the barracks here but I would a great deal rather they would send us down where we would not need them down about Natchez or New Orleans/

 

Sep^t 29^th Your letter of the 22^nd inst. came to camp last night and found me as well as circumstances would permit It rained very hard last night and I got a considerable wet and besides that we were expecting an attack and we had to roll out and hitch up our horses and get ready for them but they did not come and we are all here yet Apples are not very plenty down here I bough two barrel of them and paid $13.75 for them just before we left Cairo and took them on the boat and sold them just as fast as two of us could pick them out and make change I made about $10.00 on the two barrel Have you set up a stand and what all do you keep As for captureing secesh revolvers that is about played out for artillery men but if you want a revolver I can buy you a fancy and a good one for $45.00 something nicer than you ever saw I got a letter from my my girl last night that is one of my girls I have several that are very good correspondance I wish you would write alittle more put in anything and every thing you can think of and some things that you can not think off. Sweet potatoes are rather scarce Write as soon as this comes to hand I remain as ever your brother

 

                                                                        Jefferson S Loveridge

P.S. Direct yours Jefferson Barracks with the rest as usual

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