March the 8^th 1863

 

Dear Sarah I again seat myself to rite a few lines to you in answer to your cinde letter that came to hand yesterday I was very glad to get such a large letter or letters I mite say for it was from you and your pap it and the shirt was maild the 5 and I got them the 7 the shirt came rite a long with the letter. I got the Miniturs and the Socks all rite but I told you about that in my other letters I Sent 5 dollars in my last letter and / and I want you to let Me know as soon as you can wether you get it or not I rote it the 4^th of this Month We are still leying in our old camp yet but I cant tell how long we will stay hear for Sunday as it is their is heavy firing going on west of town and it cant be over 7 or 8 Milds from the way it sounds their is scouting partys out all the time and they they are runing in to prowling bands of rebs evry once in a while they say say they was aparty of our men actacked yesterday by 4 regiments of Negros / but the Negros got badly whiped thank fortune—

 

this is in the afternoon and evry thing is quiet the firing that we heard this morning has Seaced. I have just come from a buring their is a pore fellow has to take his leaf of earth evry few days by sicness but that is nothing in comparason to the deths caused by powder and lead it is awful to se how this country is being Strewed with graves you cant go any place hardly but what you can se graves pore fellows they are sleeping their long / sleep and I am a fraid their is but very few of them prepared to met their god for this is the awfulest place for wickedness I ever saw it Seames like they think they cant be a soldier unless they can Sware play cards drink whiskey all thoe their are some excepttions thank god the professing part of our croud from our neighborhood are all dooing as well as can be expected under existing circumstances I will now tell you that I am well and all the rest of the boys except T Sands and Jim has ben to se him to day and he is getting some better but he is not able to set up yet I hope this will finde you all well ciss our little girl for me I will have to quit for this time rite soon and often

 

[recto margin, upside down]

I hope to remain your true and loving husband while life shal last

Wm Forder to S A Forder & Friends

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