January The 5 1863

Camp Falmouth, Va.

Yes, Way “Down in Vergina”

                                                                                                            Dear Father once more I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am yet alive, well, & enjoing the best of health & hope this will be lucky enoughf to find you in the best of health & takeing your comfort which I think nothing is to hinder, any thing but being Uncle Sams Man I Say; By Gosh; I never worked for any boddy before but what I could quit when I took a notion. I begin to think he likes me or he would let me off, but then no use of talking about Uncle Sam for he dont care for any boddy nor nothing, onley when we get a little muss started, Go in & do ur best now or never the Union must be saved. Presume he sais to himself I will set here in my big armed chaire & let you keep the d—d. Grey backs back as long as you can & if you can whip them all well & right / and if they get the better of you & break through, then I will be off sometimes I most hope they will gaine the day then I take it into consideration & then think that we have lost & left to many Good Boys behind to give up yet but I hope the will be a few left when it is settled if the ever should be any such luck it will soon be going on 3 years since the first gun was fired at Fort Sumter, but come to some up a half a dosen things into one we have got to hold up a limb on Fighting or else the will be none left to fight, but I hope the 64^th will come out to the top of the heap. We had a grand revieu to day & the 69^th Reg.t. had onley 27 men out on Revieu, but the was a detail out on Picket our Reg.t. musters about 150 or 60 men now for duty. But the Brigade look rather small it is a perfect shame to have men cut up in such a manner & stile we have got a pretty good Parade ground now & the Troops looks quite nice & show off big on it. /

 

Gen. McCleland has took his Command again from all reports which is now flying here in camp We all hope it will prove to be True. I have seen no such thing in the Papers yet. The weather is exalent here & rodes is dusty as they would be in the summertime there excepting now & then a small mud hole. Nights it is cold clear & freesing mornings the stumps & ground coverd with frost which shows equal to snow but the sun soon comes up & drives it to Disaperents. Do you know where that is. This is a pleasant tract of land through here & if the Soldiers wer all at home & thing all going on as perhaps wer 5 years ago I could content my self here, but owing to circumstances I dont know but I can now. Mother some morning I arise & go out of my little tent, & look round, sun shining bright & crows a hollowing, I cannot mention any other bird for that is all that will stay round such a set. I say to my self is it possible I am in Va. & never will go home again. Mother sais No, sais a lo tone to my ear I Trust Not. /

 

Well a word about the Boys & then will haft to close. S. Rogers has got to be 4^th Sargent Seth Hinmen 5^th Sargent &c. &c. Trasy is to Reg.t.amentle Hospital & I believe the rest of the Boys is all right Nute Slocum is here in my tent writing to Edd Prat Give my best respects to Nute & the Galls Especily tell him I am glad he got out of it as safe as he did. Nate is Pioneer & gets a better chance than them that has Picket duty Pioneers are excused from picket Duteys &c. &c. 17 in our camp for rations 11 guns that is 11 on duty. So no more about the 64^th.

 

            Please Give my Love & best Respects to all inquiring Friends & tell them I am all Right & with whats here. I am a looking for a letter from Ant Sophia Ed & Em. Also Rome Jud Ant and Uncle Albert & Family & nomber others which I get no answer from letter which they Oe. So no more this time. Those few lines is from Yr Son Ephraim E. Brown. Right hand to his Parents Mouth & Chind which will prove to be true. So Once more Goo Bye write soon

 

Ephraim E. Brown. To John & Lucind. Brown

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