#4

                                                                                                Camp Dudly New Orlens

December 15^th 1862                                                                                                    La

 

                                                                                                            Dear Sister

I recived your cind leter and was glad to here from you and that you are engoying good health your leter found me well I had the aguer three days I have now broke it off I supose Theador told you that I was haveing it I gust come off gard our gard duty is very easy here we need not stand in the rane we can stand under Shelter in bad weather I have just ben out / looking on the steams sheps comeing up the river the river is full of boats that came up the river last night the steamers are loaded with troops they keep cheering as they pass up I hope we will go up with them it is jenral Banks with 30 thousand men they are goaing up to Vixburg I hird thare are two of the monitors comeing up with them they will make the rebels hump split the Confedcery in two then I can here from you oftener it will not take so alminty long you say mother wishes me to come / home I wish my self I could come go I would start to marow but I think it wont be long if I live how glad I shal be to see you all well at home you say you have a warm bed. but your bed will be rather soft for me I think The and I have a large bunk we have in it a square tent it is packed down hard and full of litle lumps but we rest as well as if it ware feathers last night what time I did sleep I sleep on a ruben cloth spred on the ruf planked floor. it does well enough when you get / use to it. I wish I could spend this winter at home with you I would like to be thare and go to school with you Wm said he dident do aney thing but hunt I wish I was thare I would go with him with my Springfield Rifle we have got new guns the are nicely finished and shoot just whare you hold them we havent got the old ones we had in the battle if we get in battle agan we will show the rebels that we are good marks men they thot so up at baton rouge.

 

I dont know of aney thing more to write so I will bid you good by and hope these few lines may find you well from your affectionate Brother John Bartell

SOURCES