Hyattsville Md.

March 22^nd 64

 

Dear Friend

                        Your letter was duly rec’d and read with pleasure. If I am not very much mistaken you owed me the letter. Being obliged to be up part of the night I will improve the time by ans’g it. When on duty nights are almost the same as days to a soldier. While I am writing it is snowing and blowing quite hard without. this is the worst storm we have had so far. For the past 3 or 4 weeks the weather here has been very pleasant and warm so that some of the people have their gardens made and peas and even potatoes up. This is the queerest country I ever saw. the weather is like a coquette constant only to change. But I have found some very good people / here. One family in particular whom I shall ever kindly remember. It consists of Mrs Youngs 3 daughters one son and a boarder Dr. Harris, quite a young man doing business in the city. A short time ago I was sick with a bad cold and Mrs Youngs sent for me to come up there, which I did. I was there a week and had everything I could wish. all I had to do was to call a servant. If I wanted to come to camp a horse and driver was furnished me. Nights Mrs Youngs, Annie, Dr Harris and I would play whist to pass the evening away. I spend an evening there now quite often very pleasantly.     

 

                                                                                    There is no news here in particular. Everything remains as it has been for the past year. Deserters are coming along quite fast just at present. I have charge of all prisoners taken, the C^o fund and all rations to be sold so I have considerable / business to tend to. Last week I went to Wash. Mon-Tues-Wed. Thurs & Friday with prisoners taking 24 in all. I have the privelege to of picking out my own guard to go with me. I was also down yesterday and today with prisoners. I have deserter receipts in my hands now for about $700. this money I have to draw at the U. S. Treasury. They are short of mony now and have stoped paying it out or I should have drawn $60. today. I attend Congress generally 2 or 3 times a week. I was in the House and Senate both today but nothing of importance was under discussion. There is but little probability of our leaving here before fall if then & companies of our regt are at Alexandria taking new recruits to their reg^ts. Several of our boys go over every week and take a trip to the front or elsewhere A Corp of our Company started with a sqd yesterday for Memphis Tenn— / I am going over before long and take a trip to the front, West, South or somewhere else.

 

Our C^o is pretty well divided a sqd being at Marlborough—another at Beltsville and another on Masons Island building barracks.                                             

 

     But you have probably seen ere this Hanfred Waring and learned how we are situated. We have got I think a soft thing. Some of the boys are working out most of the time for the farmers here and are earning more money than they ever earned before. But I must close hasten.

 

Tell I am glad your attention is seriously fixed on the subject of religion may you ever with the shield of faith guard against temptation. My thoughts are not as firmly fixed as they ought to be yet I have not forgotten my savior. If we meet no more here below I trust to meet you in the land of the redeemed. But I will close as this will try your patience I have written in such a hurry                       

 

                                    Ans’ Soon. Dont wait until you cannot tell whether it is your turn to write or mine         Yours Truly   D.C.T.

SOURCES