Helena, March, 5^th 1863

 

Dear Counsin Chaunk

                                    I Take this opertunity to answer your very kind letter recd day before yesterday I am well and enjoying good health and I hope that this will find you the same a week ago last sunday we went down to the cold water pass and stayed there one week we left with two days rations and had to live on them the week we were encamped at a pla large plantation the owners name was Alk Alcorne he has ben a Brig jeneral in the rebbel army but was taken prisoner by the united states forces, and payroled he had 3000 acres of land and some of as pretty girls as ever I saw but they would not speak to a yankee seces up to the handle / we lived well while we were there we had all the fresh pork and beaf that we could lay to and corn dodgers we got the niggers to bake them for us and we lived in the niggers quarters and got as lousely as the Devil we had a nice time of it you better belive My good friends down in Ill are crawling around now I received a letter from Alice Jenks. it was Dear uncle I dont thank them at all they can go as General Gorman says plumb to hel in jeneral for all me I guess they will find out that I am independent of them Lydia ann writes to me and I suppose that I must write to her in order to keep pease with her she wanted to know what I had done with my money she dident get any satisfaction I consider that my business you wanted me to be a good boy you know that is natueral / and shoot all the darned rebbels I have not had a but one shot at a rebbel since I have been in the south I think that it was a close call for him for I have got a rifle that will pick one 500 yards and I think that we will have a chaice to try our guns in a few days they say our division in orders to ready to march in short notice all our Colonel wants is one haf half day and the 29 will ready I think that we will go to Vicksburg but cant tell I am sure that I dont care I am ready for any thing reasonable we have not got any pay yet but expect it in a few days I hope we will for I am strapted you say that you have not recd any letter from me stating that I had recd 5 dollars I received it about new years and a more thankful boy you / never saw I am very much obliged to you and will do as much for you when I get home I suppose that two of Capt Dunhams men that was taken prisoners have got home they love their country but not well enough to fight for it when you see this childs face there it will be when I have an honerable discharge I enlisted to see the war at an end and fight and if I fall I will fall doing my duty I dont know but I will have to get you to send me some more money I must get me a pear of boots to keep my feet dry It will depend upon how much they pay me if I want any I will let you know I dont think of much more to write this time give my love to all the folks tell the children to be good and go to school all the time they can tell uncle Chancey that I am the same old ben that I would like to show him how to catch rats good night Ben Wilber

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