Montgomery Ala May 14^th 1865

 

Dear Brother

                        It is with pleasure I again attempt to scratch you afew lines to day W Nothing else to do and the days pass sloly by if I am not doing something to emply my idle time I think I will go down to the river this evening and have a good swim in the old Alabama river It such a nice place a person can swim a mile with scarce an exertion that is down stream of course There is more rhumers around camp than you could count it is the rumer in camp now that 9/10 of the light artillery is to be mustered out immediately it creates quite a lively time some of the boys want to bet $30.00 that we will be home by the 4^th of July comeing The other day it was rumored in the morning that we were going to Mobile and at night we were going to Merridian Mississippi and the next day we were going to Columbus Georgia and the same day in the evening we were going to stay here and since I commenced writing we are to start for home in side of ten days We have a little coon in the battery he does not belong We are having very beatiful weather here now I do not know whether I will send this to you or carry I would prefer the latter way of getting it there then I would be sure it would not be miss carried I would was on guard last night and had better be asleep to day than/ scribling to you The women here in this civilised world chew tobacco and that looks nice you know Well I guess I will quit writing I will have nothing to tell you when I get home if I write it all in letters came to

 

May 24^th 10 days later It is with pleasure I attempt an answer to yours of the 6 inst wit which I camp yesterday it found me a little under the weather but not seriously I hope. We are haveing gay times here now considering the way every thing goes They issues us hams last draw day thats very nice (but they were so badly spoiled they could not sell them) spoiled ham and short rations of bread Blackberries are getting ripe here now Mulberries have been ripe these two weeks past I was out in the country 8 miles sunday a horse back two of us we eat dinner with one of the same regiment that made me clime so last winter at Eastport but he was not one of the squad We had new potatoes for dinner We have a ten pin alley here in camp we use canon balls (12 pounders) for balls they are most too heavy but they do I received a letter from John Hayes yesterday He was in great trouble There is plenty of Johnies here in town now coming and going all the/ time. I expect they will let us come home about September or October and maybe sooner I hope sooner It is getting to be very warm down here now I tell you We drill once evry day now squad drill between drilling playing ball tenpins and cleaning camp we keep buisy most of the time I think about tomorrow I will have to get a horse and go into the country and get my dinner It will be a change from camp fare I like the appearance of my Stepp Mothers photo very well I hope you do as well You need entertain no fears as to my enlisting in the regular Army 4 years in the army will do me very well I think besides I could not stand another term of soldiering now I had all the white Mulberries I could eat yesterday they are a great deal sweeter than the black ones I received a letter from Hank day before yesterday in which you was agoing to write but did not on account of being in the country I will quit writing now to go and load up a load of dirt I guess I can tell you the rest of it when I come home give my love and best respects to all            yours as ever

                                                                        Jefferson S. Loveridge

SOURCES