Fort Lyon  Feb 4  1863

 

My Dear Mary.

                        Your kind letter I recd last week and though perhaps I did not feel quite ten years younger I did two or three months. It was raining like the Old Nick that day and the mud was very deep so of course I was cross and ugly feeling as if I could eat up the whole of Virginia. After the mail got in I overheard one of the men say that “he guessed the orderly got a letter as he wa’n’t so d—d cross as he was in the morning”. And Mary I have to confess that I did feel much pleasanter after receiving your letter.

 

            You thought did you that I didn’t care to hear from you very often? / I shall hardly forgive you if you think that again. You’r mistaken also in saying I dont have time to write oftener. I will own up that it is just a little lazyness and carlessness (of which I have the usual quantity) that too often prevents me writing to my friends. A great many times too I have commenced writing and being interrupted I get mad and wont try again for a week. Perhaps I dont like to hear from you half as well as you do from me but if so you like to hear from me very well indeed.

 

            Mattie Pierce was very discerning truly. Park need not give up all hopes yet ie taking for granted that Mattie told the truth. Do not say that you were foolish once. I think that loving, however unworthy the one upon whom that love is bestowed, though it may not be wise is far / from foolish. Besides you know Parker was quite handsome in those days and better still, belonged to an Aristocratic family. Would not have to work for a living you know. No wonder he turned the heads of all the girls in Royalton. Perhaps I speak rather bitterly, but it is not against Park. He has many good qualities. He is kind freehearted and generous almost to a fault. True he has not much firmness and is easily influenced by others but may not that be attributed to associations and education? I can remember many years ago when the So Royalton Bank was in existence that as Park and myself were playing together near Mr Allens House his mother came and called him in and I overheard her say to him that he must not play with such bad boys. I have thought of that little incedent many times since then and always with a kind of pity for I knew / that such teachings would only bring him to shame. He was always taught from infancy that he was a little better than the people around him and it will take many dry knocks from the hard world to drive those teachings from his head. I am willing to forget his faults believing that he will overcome them and be as faultless as any of us no one being perfect—yourself excepted of course.

 

Now confess that you would have been glad to go to the Ball, only beaux are so very scarce these war times. Did our old friend Melissa go? Dont you think she is a fine girl? I do—

 

Mr Blanchard is a downright good fellow. I know—quite a little time you had of it I declare with your false ones. A very self denying chap / that Blanchard, to wait upon a pretty girl to a party and have her for a companion at a sleigh ride. Aint sure but there is kindness enough in myself to do that—if I have a chance—Now you would not tell me what he said to you but I can guess. something sweet of course. Ha! Ha! Well “Pistols and coffee for two” that will settle it.

 

But seriously Mary never fear me calling you silly. A phrenologist told me once that I was given to ridiculing small things and he told the truth, but I dont mean it half the time. I knew that the Superintendent would praise your school and am very much gratified to hear from you that he did. Now you need not say that you drew any wool over his eyes. Dont you candidly believe that you deserve all the praise that you got? I do. But I wont say any more for fear of / making you vain. I too have passed an inspection nearly as terrible as yours. We always have an inspection Sunday by our Colonel but last Saturday for the first time we had a government inspector here and he was so strict. Companies are divided into five sections Each under command of a Sergeant. Our Arms Equipments Clothing quarters everything was minutely inspected after inspecting my section he wrote on the muster Rolls “discipline good instructions excelent.” and said to me “very good Sir.” I felt as big as a boy with his first pair of unmentionables all day. Of the Regiment we were proud. He told our Col. that he had seen and inspected many Regiments since the war commenced but never met one that kept every thing in so good condition as ours, and that he believed there was no regiment in the Service whose arms would compare with ours. Very gratifying of course. /

 

They are giving a few furloughs now in our Brigade. It may be possible that I get one and first thing you know I appear, but probably not. I hardly think it would be best to go home till the war is finished of. As soon as good weather comes the hard work of this Regiment will begin. We have had no very hard times yet but I expect that it will come soon. I think of you often Mary and want to see you very very much. another year and I will be at home I think though I may get my time knocked off as many poor fellows have before me. Write to me soon wont you?

 

                                                aff yours

                                                            Grin

 

I took your advice and eat a good supper but instead of dreaming of Judith what do you think? I dreamed that the D—l was sitting on my breast with Bunker Hill Monument in his lap. You try it now and dream of your            Soldier /

 

            Feb 5—

Please Direct to

Alexandria Va hereafter

instead of Washington

Got a letter from S[?]

Adams yesterday. Boys in

2^d V^t all well. Charley Magey

is Orderly Sergt of the Co

He sent me a picture which I send

            to you—          Grin

SOURCES