Near Sulphur Springs Va

                                                                                                                        Aug 13^th 1863

 

My Dear Priscilla

                                                                                                                        It is with pleasure that I sit down to answer your letter of Aug 2^nd and to tell you that I am well and doing well and hearty as a buck. I was very glad to hear from home after so long a time and that you were all well and getting well. But we are not in Baltimore as you think. No we are still in old Virginia where we were when I last wrote to you. There has been a great deal of talk about our going back to Maryland to the 8^th our old army Corpse and I hear that the order was / issued for us to go the other day but has been countermanded till they get a brigade to fill our place, so I do not know now when we will go or if we will at all. Yesterday I went to Sulphur Springs which is 3 or 4 miles from here. I had a mule to ride & had a good time and all the sulphur water I could drink. I went for a ride and to see the springs. Since we came here I received your letter of June 30^th which Philena sent the pink in and it pleased me very much indeed. I send her lots of kisses in return and for Laura to. I sent / you a letter at the same time I did the paper with the seeds in. They are blackberry seeds and a different kind from those at home. The bushes spread all over the ground and the berries grow very large and nice. I would plant them across the back end of the garden & as soon as possible I have a good place and easy times. I am watchman for the waggon train and only have to stand watch half of each night and nothing to do all day. My health is a good deal better since I came here. The weather has been awful hot lately but yesterday and / to day it has been cooler. You want to know what I think about the war. I hardly know what to think but the paper says to day that Lee’s army is getting very dissatisfied & may be broken up any day unless Jeff Davis sees some way to satisfy them. He is reported to be seriously ill in Richmond & doubts are entertained of his recovery and I hope he will not. It does not seem as though the war could last a great while but we cant tell. Tell Mrs [?] that Al is well & send her his love. Give my respects to all our folks and kiss

 

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the children for me and accept much love yourself from your affectionate husband

                                                                                                Z Larivier

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