Camp Brightwood

                                                                                                                        Nov 7^th/61.

 

Dear Mother

                        I am still alive and well and have as ugly a temper towards the Southerners as ever but my love and respect for the federal government is fast decaying There is not the slightest possible chance for the north to gain a victory with the officers they have got now but we have got the best troops in the world take em all in all

 

All I have to console my self with for the want good officers is the comfortable idea / that I have got to spend a cold disagreable winter out here in the army We have got Freemont removed thank God the bigoted conceited idiot and some of the other fools are kept back in the rear which gives me a faint hope (just barely sufficient to keep me from total dispair) that they will all be removed in time to save our glorious republic from a surrender which would make her name a monument of stinking infamy forever But before that will happen there will be days of terror / for history to record more horrible than France’s blackest annals can show

 

The country needs it the whole mashinery has become foul it never has run well since 1856 and it never will run well again it needs a new govermental mashine and time only can point out mashinists (politicians) competent for the work

 

Elbridge is asleep he has sleep nearly all day he was on guard last night and it was so cold he could not sleep when he was not on guard the wind is high and cold to day /

 

We are both well as we ever was and I think soldiering agrees with us that is physicaly write as soon as you rec this hoping these lines will find you all well I remain

 

                                                                        Your affectionate

                                                                                    Son

                                                                        Kingsley Martin

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