Little Hel I mean Hellna

      March. 10^th./63.

 

Well Chancey

                        I rec^d your very kind letter to day and hasten to answer it

 

I am well and enjoying myself firstrate and hope that this will find you the same It is raining like the old harry to day and it makes it very disagreeable but it is nothing when we are in camp to what it is when we are moveing we are expecting to move soon but cant tell when nor where nor I dont care how soon we move moveing / is the life of a soldier we would be glad to se one fight the boys are mad because they will not give a chance to fight The 29^th has done more picket guard fatigue and mor moveing around than any other Reg that has been here and we have lost a good many men About them boys that got left and taken prisoners the names L. M. Davis W. Rainy W. Goold E. S. Weyth C. White L. Cole G. Gorden O. neilson Cole and Gorden are at home Lo Davis is at St Louis sick White and Rainy are in the ranks the general told / them stragelars could not be exchanged Low will have to come back when he gets well Goold and Weyth wh we have not heard from yet I guess that they did not leave the boat with a good intention for I was out where they was and I did not see any rebbels if I had I sould not give my self up to them without giving an alarm but they had got very sick of the war I have been sick some times of the way that they carry on the war but not sick enough to give myself up to traitors you said that you thought I was a little / home sick but it is a mistake I have not seen a home sick hour since I have been in the south I have seen times that would make any one down hearted if you dont blieve it just come and stand picket evry other night for a month when it is cold and rains half of the time that will try your pluck I suppose yould think that Powers had more than uncommon grit he would give to day three hundred dollars if he could get out of it for I heard him say so yesterday now I would not do any such thing and lots of the boys would do any /

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