Feb 5^th 1863

Fairfax Stasion

 

Dear Parents I have just recieved your letter was glad to hear from you and that the check went safe home we have had a great snow snow storm here and it has not all gone of yet but has been cold and snows some to day we have not drilled eny here till yesterday but now I we have a Co drill from nine till ten AM each day and drees perade at 4 1/2 PM when it dont storm and target shooting at 2 the man who makes the best shot is excused from his next turn of guard duty I dont think we / have very good guns but they are good enough to guard with and that is all we we have to do now but the three Regts. are building a Corduroy road from the stasion to whare the 12^th and 13^th are they work on on their end and we on ours the men tell me that they have got about 2 miles done and it is but but six from the stasion out their so it will be done before long the 12 and 13^th had a hard time when they first went out their it was so mudy that they could hardly get enough to eat the first 2 or 3 days but they are geting on well enough now I guess our teams went out / at first to help cary their stuf we are doing finely now and I hope that they will let us alone a little while for we have good quarters here and some body has got to stay here but I dont know how long we shall stop here but if I have my helth it dont mak much odds whare I am we shal not march so long as it is bad weather I dont think we could have marched last week if we had tried the mud was so deep that a train of wagons could not move the would go in up to the hub after a few had pased but the ground is frose hard now and it has not thawed a bit / since day before yesterday we have just drawn our rations for five days of sugar and dried peaches the last 5 days we had dried apple I am glad we are going to have some fruit if it aint but a little Mr Cook is well and so is Mr Jay you may tell Hattie and Margaret that I have not forgoten them yet and shal not but to write me again I have just got a letter from Tom Carbee it was mailed the same day yours was I had a letter from Martha Westgate and one from Annis last week Annis said Homer was was Capt. now I dont think I shal get so big an office as that just yet but I have got rid guard and fatigue and that is worth a good deal

 

[margin upside down]

you say you cannot get the box caried dont try again I get enough to eat and dont care for it so let go when I get home I will eat the more

 

I have used all the room so good by for to night from you afectionate son

write

soon     Edward Grannis

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