1^st part

                                                                                                Camp 12. Pa. Vol. Cav.

                                                                                                            Martinsburg, Va.

                                                                                                                        Dec. 13/63.

 

My ever Dear &

                        Muched Loved Jennie:—

                                                Again have I the honor of acknowledging the receipt of two very welcome & neatly written letters, which were read with great respect and interest. Also with the letters was the package containing those wristletts. Jennie I was very well pleased to receive them and to you I return my sincere thanks for the same. I shall wear them in honor of you. They are just the thing that I wished. I am proud to know that you are so very willing to comply with my requests. And for the same, and a host of / other favors, I shall always esteem respect, love & remember you as my true and loyal friend. I am happy to learn of your good health and trust such may always be your news to me while away from you. I can report myself as heretofore in regard to health. The God above has so far favored me very highly in that respect. I am truly thankful that it has been so. Health is very essential to a soldier. Oh! how I do pity the poor soldiers who have lost their health in the service of their country. To visit any of the Government Hospital, and there see the poor suffering soldiers, in all stages & kind of disease, is enough to melt the hardest heart. And this we say of the soldiers in our own Hospitals. How awful must it be, in those Southern / prisons, where our poor soldiers are confined as Prisoners of War—with scarcely enough to eat to keep them alive. And in fact many do actually starve to death. Who would have thought ere this cruel war that any American citizens could ever become so utterly lost and degraded as to alow their fellow beings to starve while it lay in their power to render aid. God forbid that it should ever be my lot to again fall into the hands of those inhuman and degraded wretches. Wretches I call them. Nay! they are worse than wretches. Rather call them fiends & devils in the shape of men.

 

            You tell me your Protracted Meeting is over. I don’t think you folks are as good christians as the people of this place, for the / Protracted here has been going on at a lively rate for some time past & by present appearances bids fair to continue for weeks to come. probably it may be that Soldiers are harder to convert than any other class, and for their sakes, continue the meeting. Quite a good idea I presume if it be so. To-day our “pious” Chaplain made his appearance in Camp, called the boys together in front of the Commander’s tent, and preached a short sermon to them in general. What effect it had I do not know, and dare not judge. I think so little of the Chaplain, that it would be very painful to me to listen to him for a half-hour. I don’t think I could endure it at all. I Love to listen to a minister, when he is a man that I can respect, but such a thing as we have, had better be somewhere else attending to some other business, more appropriate to his character, than be preaching to soldiers who know him so well as we do. I should not talk so about a Chaplain but indeed Jennie I believe that I am saying nothing but what is actually so, in every particular. /

 

2^nd part.

 

We are still at the same place as you can see by the first part of this letter, and will no doubt remain here during the winter & probably longer. All is quiet and nothing of any importance transpiring. Some 4 days ago a large scout of Infantry & Artillery started up the Valley on 15 days scout. I presume they will see something before they return. If they do, I will acquaint you of the facts. What object they have in view, is yet to be told.

 

I am happy to hear that Old Ellen has a beau. I hope & pray he will marry her and take her away before I get home, and also take the old woman with him. Duncansville would be happy to have them leave never to return. Don’t you think so Jennie? You will say, Yes.— /

 

I have lost sight of Skyles entirely. I have not heard from him for a long time. Why it is I don’t know. Probably he has written & I have not received, but rather doubtful indeed. Does Lue hear from him any more? So you say you would Love to see me come home this winter. I don’t doubt your word in the least. And so far as I know you will see me some time this winter. I cannot tell exactly when. Just rest easy as you can and I will be about some time depend upon it. If I don’t it will be awful strange indeed. I would like very well on this (Sunday) evening, instead of writing to you to be with you in the little parlor, having one of our old fashioned talks and times, together as in days past— /

 

Never mind I think the day not so very far distant when I will be about. This war cannot not last so mighty long any more and if it does, why I have not one year more to serve, until my three years will transpire expire & then my mind tells me I will be quitting a soldier’s life, and return to my native county and my friends

 

            Remember me to your Mother, Aunt Mrs. Moke, Sam. Confer, Uncle Mike Cassiday and any others who may inquire about me.

 

            Jennie:—Be a good girl, Do not work too hard, Do not grow too discontented, Be as cheerful as you can, And rest assured that although I am absent from you that my mind is always on you. You are never forgotten at all by me. / and never shall, while life remains.

 

My sincere undivided and ever true Love to you my own Dear friend Jennie.

 

            And with the above I attach my name as Yours now and ever will be and yours alone—

                        John J. Black

                        Co. “G” 12. Pa. Vol. Cav

                        Martinsburg Virginia

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