Brashear City, August , 23^th, 1863

Camp Reno, La

 

Eliza & Frank I got my Check yesterday the pay marster handed it to me I thought he had sent it four weeks A go I Enclosed it in A letter this morning to Mr Lewis as Quick as he gits it write to me my health is vary good onley I have got A grate Bile under my arm I think all of the Bad Blod will git out of me Bimby if the Biles ceap on coming out on me I think Frank will git A pile of letters & papers all at A time no mail steamer Benn in to New orleans in some time I think the letters will come all at A time hear ther has Benn steamer Due hear some time I have no news to write this morning onley I am A live yet / & Enjoy my self vary well. But if I was in old chenango I think I could Enjoy it A litle Better for A short time I Enjoid it the other night on pickett fighting mosqueatoes oup to flat lake A Bout two miles from hear. that is the way the Rebels came in when tha took Brashear we have picketts station oup that way from two or three miles to ceap watch of the Rebels & if one comes A long take him A prisner this pickett stands for twenty four ours & then is Releaved By A neather sett of men thear is A mounted pickett whitch Ride in all Directions for four or five miles A Round to see what tha can discover tha ceap A clost watch of the Rebels movements & all spies I tell you tha never will take this place / A gain. have you herd from horis wood sence he was taken to ship Iland A prisner I would like to hear it is Rather hard for him I should think to Be A way from the Regt it was for me & I hope I never shall Be sick so I shall hafter Be left Behind I Rather face the Balls & shells with the Regt we have got A grate meny slinks & Back outs in the Regt I should Rather Be shot then Be cald A slink he never hears the last of it while in the army. But some of them dont care how mutch tha are Blackgarded A Bout it & some of them that slink out on the first start walk wright oup to the works like Brave solgers tha did not like to Be calld slinker it is A grate place to study human nateur hear in the army I can tell you he will find all cind of disposition /

                                                                                                                         

wall Frank I wish I was in oxford to attend the fair with you I like it ma Be I shall A nother year if we are Both A live you must write to me the perticklers of the fair you must attend Every day & your mother with you take comfeart while you live & Read & see all you can while young never mind the expencis if it is A advantedege to you if one stays at home all of the time he Eaint apt to know one half a Bout human nateur as the one that goes to all sutch places if he stays to home he never will no nothing like some we have got in our Regt when at home tha thought tha knew somthing. But take them from home & tha are fools dont know A noughf to suck. Frank I drather have you A perfick Devell             Asa Holmes

 

[upside down on verso] Frank I send you two papers with this letter Read

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