Helena Arkansas Sept 3^the 1862

Mrs M E Keller

 

                                                                                    Dear wife yesterday I received

yours of the 24 of last month you apear to think that I ame neglectfull about writing to you I ame certain there is not a man in the Company writes home as offten as I do I have been in the habit of writing to you at least twice a weeke except when I was over in Missisipi and then I had no oportunity to write and it may happen hereafter that we will get out on a tramp and cannot write for a week or so but it is beleived that we will be stationed at this place for what length of time I do not know. you say you wish to know when I have been in the service a yeare our Company left Bluffton on the 21^st day of November 1861 I had no idea at that time that I woulde be away so long without seeing my famly but as I have often saide before this I hope the war will soon be over I do not expect to see home untill the war is over I could not go home at present if I wanted to do so without Resigning and that I will never do as long as my healthe is good when I go home I want my Company to go also

 

September 4 I did not finish my letter yesterday as Sharp Wisner wanted me to go to town with him to helpe him get his papers so that he can go home he has not got them yet but I think he will get off in a day or so his health is very poor it begins to look like fall here I hope we will soon get cool weather and the healthe of the boys will / improve the water we get here is very poore. the most of the time we use River water and this Missisipi is the mudyest River you have ever seen not only that but dead people are floating down evry day just imagin your Sam drinking a cup of dirty River water and cast his head around looks over in to the River and sees a Negro floating down stream swelled up untill he looks as large as an ox but my dear sutch is war but I ame glad when I think you are all well and have got plenty of good water to drink maney of a time when I drink this mudy water I think of our olde well at home but it may apear strange to you when I tell you my health is good never was better since we have been married I beleive I ame the only man in my Company but what has been sick since we have been in the service. not more than halfe of my Company is able to do duty at this time but in about three weeks the sickly season will be over. the report is here to day that our army has whiped the Rebels in Virginia I hope it is so and that the last Rebel will Soon be wiped out of existence and then you had better beleive we will make some long steps for home to the tune of Yankee doodle as I have writen to you in my former letters if that deed is not to hand holde on untill you heare from me I sent a letter to you by Tony Philips two days ago I expect you will get it before this /

 

            you must excuse me for writing sutch foolish letters as I do some times I have nothing mutch to write about and of course I must write about something

 

what do you think about them duds I sent home the next I send I think I shall go with them when I go home I intend to take home some sothren flowers seeds there is some nice ornamental trees here I wish I coulde get some of them home

 

yours truly

                                    S J Keller

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