Camp Near Fredricksburg Apr 16^th/63

 

Dear wife I take the plesure of writing A few lines to let you know that I am well at presant and hope that this will find you all the same wee have had orders to be radey with 8 dayes rations our haversackes are full and the rest is packed in our napsackes wee have laid tow dayes in that way but have not got aney orders to martch but the caverly and fl[?]ing artilery started last monday and I have not heard what luck thay had for sertin thare has bin difernt storeys toald about them it was toald hear last night that thay crost the river without aney trobal and the rebals had a vacqate fredrickesburg but wee cant believe all that wee hear thare is som movemint for what I cante tell but I truste in God and hope that he will promiste me to see my famley once more on earth but if it should not be his will let ous try to meat in heavon whare all is bless put your trust in God and he will take care of you for he said so in his word John is well at presant and so is all the Camden boyes wee have had an all awfull hard rain yestarday the rain com rite through our roof and weat all our carpet and nice furnatur so that wee had to dige A ditch through our hous to let the water run out it is/ quite warm hear to day and we expect to get our pay to day the pay master is hear and payed off one of the redgmen in our Brigade and if we dont have to martch we will get our pay to day and I thought that I would comece this so as to be radey to send it home by the first mail and I expect A letar from you to night for it is about the time that I get your letars tell Pa and Ma that I would like to see them first rate and it may be God will that wee all meat once more on earth I hope that this war wonte last long so that A good maney homes will be maid happey by the returning of thare friends I will have to wait an see if wee get our pay and mabee A letar from you tell all the folkes to write and maile as often as thay can I want you to send me som postige stampes for when wee are on the move wee cant send them so well without them and I cant by them hear I hear that Frank Trask has got his discharge an bought out that saloon whare [?] was when you write tell me all the news you can Oh Marey how I wish that I had my praier book but if onley could com home and go to churtch it would do me A good/ deal of good send the children in to Sunday Scool as mutch you can tell Mr Weaver that I would like to see him and hear him preach now Dear wife I set down to write you A few lines more wee have just got our pay for 4 month and I send you A lotment ticket for 110 dolars you must yues it for the best that you can for it may be som time before wee get our pay again but thay ough me for about tow mon more write as soon as you get this for I want to know if you get it thare is not aney new to write this time so no more at presant I send my love to you an all of our folkes from your loving

                                                            husband James Swanson

 

Dear wife I have just received your kind letar and am glad to hear that you ar all well I would like to of bin with you at the exebition but I am thinkin that wee will have ont with the rebals thay had ous pack up 8 days rations and to night thay have sent for three days more making 11 days rations in all John says that it is like taking hous selar and all he says that you nead not expect to hear from ous again/ this sumar for we have got our sumar [?] martch to morow and wee may not [?] A weak but I think that wee will for [?] wanted to see what he can do and I hope that he may have success and [?] this war setal so that thoes that live it through can go home and be come [remainder too faded]

                                                                                                James Swanson

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