Camp Near                1864

                                                                                                Brandy Station Va Feb 10^th

 

Dear Brother & Sister

                                                I will try and write a few lines to you this evening to answer your ever dear & kind letter which I received larst night & was verry glad to hear from you and especially to get that picture which is just as natural as life and the Baby looks so cunning to I would not part with it for nothing and neither am I ashamed to tell that I imprinted many warm kisses upon it for probaly you have not a Brother or Sister that thinks more of you two than I do and I dont think that / either of you can say that I ever wronged you intentionally, and if I ever did I beg your pardon both of you. but I always loved and respected you we all know the parst and let it be blotted out from our minds and all live in peace and happines. Well I suppose you have heard before this gets to you of our reconnoissance it was the hardest time I ever had for so short a time. it was mud knee deep our artillery got stuck and even empty amburlaces got stuck and one fellow from our Regt fell down an embankment and broke one arm and cracked the other so he has no use of either arm. we marched within two miles of the Rapidan and marched mostly in the nights and dark and rained one night at that but we are back in camp and all quiet now / but we have had some verry cold weather for this country it has been colder than it was larst winter. Is George Spring in the neighborhood now I should think that he would feel pretty cheep, I mean after doing as he did in the Gettysburg fight he is a mean cowardly fellow

I did not know that Frank was married untill you wrote did he marry that Girl he has been courting so long. I am glad that Hoodley has sold out Father wrote about that I got your paper with the letter and thank you verry much for the gum and of the paper to for I dont get any papers from home hardly and when I do get them I am verry glad. / but I dont think of any thing more to write for news is verry scerce here I suppose you knew that Mr Hall is here & in my Company he is well, but I am afraid he can not stand a soldiers life but he may he is to old to sleep on the ground. the Regt is on picket. they are gone for 3 days so you see I get out of a hard job by being on the colors it is six miles to the picket line.

 

give my love to all who may enquire for me and save a large share for your selfs. write as soon as convenient and all the news, and great long letters.

 

This from your Dear & affectionate

            Brother Joseph

To his Dear Brother & Sister

                                    Cooledge & Ursula

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