Kennersvill Louisiana June 23^th 1864

            Mrs M E Keller

 

                                                Dear wife this Eavning I take up my penn to write you a few liens but I hesitated a little before coming to the conclusion to do so it being but yesterday Since I wrote you a few liens and it has been so long since I have received a letter from you your letters are few and far betwen this is Twenty Six Letters I have written to you since I left Home the last time, but I have an Idea the Enemy got two or three of my Letters to you writen at Alexander and probaly got some you had writen to me as they Captured two or three of our Boats on Red River Mail and all but there is nothing to prevent Letters from going to from this locality how long we will remain at this place I know not my health is good again I was rather unwell a few days ago. we can get light bread to eate here and new Potatoes and onions I nearly Starved while up on Red River and we had harde fare while at Morganzies Bend. I never want to see sutch another trip as we had on the Red River Expedition this time last yeare I was writing to you from the reare of Vicksburge a long yeare it has been to me but I hope next yeare this time to be at Home with you and our little ons out on that Farm probaly I look forward to a Hapy time when we can get things fixed up nice Trees of difrent kinds I feel as if I wer at Home I could work night and day to get that place in good order but we must Save our money as it will take considerable to make a Start I must have a Team and a Cow / and Some farming implements and ought to have a little Start of Hogs and so on and whats to be done about a House and Barn I can never move in them olde Cabins I think we could live so hapy Close to Bluffton I often lay of nights and Study how we can enjoy our Selves I do not want to go to making Brick again if I can helpe doing so it is harde worke being up so mutch of nights and I am tiard of that Buisness. you know I have put in a maney of a harde day and night at it. I want to try raising Corn Potatoes onions and all Kind of vegetables and Cultivate Trees I do like to plant and cultivate Trees more especialy fruit Trees we have got a good start of trees on the place if I live I am going to plant out a large lot of Currants and grape viens. you must not let on to that man but what he can stay there another yeare and if he thinks he can stay there a yeare longer he will do better work probaly what Hay he cuts get him to Hall my Share and put it in the Stable if he will do so and pay him for it. he is to acording to our article to Stack the Hay on the Farm but if he can Hall and put it in the Stable it would be mutch better for us and pay him for it at least there will be but little Hay how does things look on the Farm especialy the Trees or orchard how does things look in the Garden in Town is my little chesnut Trees doing well and is the little Crab trees bearing fruit how does the wood holde out have you got enough to do you untill Winter it may be I will not get out of the Service untill my time Expires whitch is the 13^th day of December Some over five months yet but I would like to / return Home before that time if Possible but if I was at Home I would have but little money to go on if you all keep well it may be I will not make any effort to get out before my time Expires how I would like to be at Home with you I think I would be so hapy Three years is a long time to be away from Home longer than I will ever be away from Home again if I live. but we are all of the opinion General Grant will use up the Rebels this Summer when the Scoundrels are all Killed or whiped then we can have peace again it has been raining here of late very frequently and makes it rather disagreable to Camp out. I was in hopes of geting a letter from you late this Eavning but none have come I am going to quit writing for this time hoping those few liens may finde you all well and in good Spirits write me a good big letter and give me the news and what is going on in Bluffton any thing will be interresting from you about our Home and Bluffton do write more if you are well devote a little of your time for me from

 

your devoted Husband

                                    Samuel J Keller

 

Letter No 26

 

[verso, in another hand]

 

June 23

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