Baltimore Apr 7^th 1863

 

Dear Priscilla

                        I now sit down to write a few lines to you but but I fear they will not be much comfort for I am not any nearer a furlough than when I wrote last. The Captain cannot give but two furloughs at once and as there is two home now I must wait till one of them gets back. The first one will come next monday or tuesday and then the Captain says he will do his best for me. I heard that Doctor Cushing went to see them you and I know he will do his best to save our dear Children but it grieves me very much that I cannot be there to help take care of them You are all on my mind night and day and I am / very miserable indeed. The rules of war are very strict and we must all live up to them but it seems very hard in such a case as mine. I recd your last letter friday noon and the same night I went with the rest of the company to escort six hundred and fifty rebel prisoners from the cars to the boat. They were going to Fortress Monroe to be exchanged. Yesterday five companies of our regiment went again and escorted 1,000. They all came from Chicago and were taken at Murfreesboro. They were ragged and dirty and sick, the worst looking set of men I ever saw. Our band marched in front of them and played Yankee Doodle for them and the Union folks showed the Stars and Stripes from the windows as we passed which made them very mad and some of them / howled and made up ugly faces and then we scolded at them. Some of them would be glad to get out of it and some were mad and wanted to fight longer. Sunday night it snowed hard all night and in the morning it was 5 or 6 inches deep but it is most all gone now. I dont expect to get a very long furlough but I will get as long a one as I can. They only give 8 or 10 days but I hope I shall get one for more than that. I hope I shall know more about it when I write next time. George Milliken has been down to Virginia to see his brother and passed through here but I did not see him to speak to him. Captain Hallock saw Mr Stilson and he said he would see that you did not suffer for anything and the neighbors would do all / they could for you. But Al has got a stiff neck and does not feel much like writing so I must bid you good bye for this time Kiss the children for me and keep up good courage and I will come to you as soon as I can

 

As ever your Husband

                                                                                    Z Launiere

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