Lafayette Barracks Baltimore Md
January 6^th 1863

 

Dear Wife

                        Your New Years letter came all safe. I received it on Sunday. I was very glad to get it. Letters from home are cheering to us soldiers. I am sorry to hear that the children have got the whooping cough. You must take as good care as possible of them. I guess they will get well after awhile.

 

New Years day I was on guard at the Hospital where we are located At two o’clock we had a splendid New Years dinner that was furnished by the generous citizens of this city I enjoyed it very much.

 

You say that Michael Snider has bought a nice double barrelled gun / I hope he has got a good one Tell Michael to take my dog and do some smart hunting this winter. If he would like such game to hunt as we have down here, he may come down here and look after rebels. His shot gun would’nt do though. Our rifles will shoot with great accuracy for nine hundred yards. We have very comfortable barracks here at the Hospital. I like to stay here first rate. If we never have any worse times than we are having now, we shall do well enough. I should have had my ambrotype taken to day, but it has been too dark and cloudy I will have it taken as soon as I have a good opportunity. There has been an awful battle in Tennessee and our Army was victorious we our soldiers drove them ten miles and cut / them to pieces awfully. Now we want to whip them out down in Virginia and then the fighting will be about over.

 

Those postage stamps were just what I wanted. I will send them all back to you, but on the outside instead of the inside of the envelope and only one at a time. Have you heard from Mary Frost lately, and have you heard where Henry Delano is. Has he got back from Michigan I shall be on guard next Sunday if I am well. Take as good care of yourself and the children as you can and answer this as soon as convenient.

 

                        From Your Affectionate Husband

Priscilla Lariver                                              Zephram Lariver

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