Camp 12. Pa. Cavalry,

                                                                                                Charlestown, Va.

                                                                                                            March. 2. 1865.

 

            Dear Wife:

                        Good evening to you. I received a very interesting and highly valuable letter from you. It was read and re-read with great respect & shall be answered ere I retire this night. I am pleased to hear that you are still in excellent health & getting along as well as can be expected. In return I can report myself in as good health as ever and getting along very well in every way except in the way of getting a “leave of absence” to go home. In that latter I have so far failed. nevertheless I have not given it up yet, but will try until the last, and if I fail Dear Jennie do not blame me at all, for my word for it I am very anxious to see you. Great report that you give about the soldier’s wifes at home. I presume they get cold these cold nights and think a bedfellow a good thing to keep them warm. that is providing they lay right close together, as such bedfellows generally do when sleeping in a bed. Nothing Notwithstanding those reports about those folks are true. One consolation I have and that is that I know that you are none of that class, and that is all I care. Let theirs do as they please. We know how to act. /

 

I am pleased to hear that Lue is so very much taken with her beau. I trust she will be fortunate enough to get him, and that be from him to her, and treat her better than Skyles did. I am pleased to hear that you received those Documents I sent. I know you will take care of them.

 

That is quite a queer way of courting poor Charley Gardner had to follow while at home I would not fancy such a way. Indeed I would not undertake to keep company with a girl that I could not go to her home to see her.

 

            Everything is quiet at present

            Rainy weather & mud plenty

 

                        Remember me kindly to Mother Aunt & Confer

                        My ever true devoted & undivided

 

            Love to you—

                        While my name to this as

                        Your ever true devoted &

                                                Affectionate

                                                            Husband

                                    1^st Lieut. John H. Black

                                                Co “G”

SOURCES