Arkansas

                                                                                                            White River Landing

                                                                                                            January the 1^st 1865

 

Dear Mother

                        I wish you a happy New Year. I Received your letter of December the 17^th yestarday. I was glad to here that your health and Richards is better than it has ben my health is good thank God Well Mother I sopose you would like to know what we had for dinner to day. We had two Baked Chickens. we hired them stuffed and baked and thay ware first Rate. Mother you wanted to know they Boys names from hector that Tents with me James Hunt, Evral Hewett, Henry / Moore. We have had very hevy rains and the river has raised about 30 feet since we came here, and if it keeps rising we will have to move our Camp. Mother I sopose you would like to know what we have to eat we have Salt Pork some fresh Beef and Salt Beef and some times we draw White Fish we draw Coffee and Tea and Shuger and Beans and Homany Sope and Candals &c. We have had hard Bread all the time we have ben here but our Regiment are building a Bakery and if we stay here we will have Soft Bread in a few days. Mother you wanted me to get a Furlow and make you a visit but that is out of the Question as long as I have my health / but you can look for me home next September or October

 

We have not had any snow here yet we have a cumfartible Tent built of logs with a Fire Place in it &c. Mother please write me whare James McIntyre is you do not say any thing about him. the war news is good the Rebls is defeated at all points Sherman has taken Savana. no fiting going on down here. Give Richard my best Respects and tell him to write me all the news no more at presant

 

                                                            From your Son

                                                                                    W^m M Bell

                                                                                    Co. E. 161^st N.Y. Vols

                                                                                                Cairo

                                                                                                            Ill.

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