Camp Casey Maridion hill Dec 23^rd 1861

Washington D. C.

 

Dear Brother

            I think it is about time i fulfiled my promice to you i told you wen i left that i would write to you but i have not had time to write be fore now as it was raining i thought i would let you know that we were all well at presant and hoped that you were the same. we had a leasure time yesterday beings as it was sunday but we had no cermon because the chaplain was sick and i think it was about as well because he is a episcipalon, witch i cant under stand his form of preaching. i thought i would write down home so that they could here from us and it being rainy to day i thought it was my duty to let you know that we was a getting / along first rate at presant, but it is very muddy here now. we would of had to drill five or six hours to day if it had not of stormed. so i was glad it did rain so that i could write to you. we have received a letter from you dated the 16^th and we was very glad to here from you. and we have received some papers witch was read over by many of the company and was pleased to halve them to read i was mutch dissappointed to see the city of Washington i suppose that you think that it is very nice but it is not a comparieson to the city of New York for beauty or trade all there is of any curiousity to any of us is the presidents house witch is very nice on both ends it has a hot house and very nice flowers and bushes seting in the windows witch i saw as i pased by there. /

 

the capital is a very large house it covers over about three acres of ground and is five or six stories high, and there is a cupalo on to it witch is three or four stories higher than the building but it is not finished yet they are to work at it now. we can see it very plain from were we are encampt. it is about to miles and a halve. i thinck that i am entire well of my cold now i was in the hospital the first two nights and a day but i never took any medicins because the docktors hadent any it was pact up and left in palace garden but the medicines that Garret gave me i think that it helpt me more than any thing else i could of took. there was two regiments come and encampt with in a hundred yards of us. there is some cavelry companys / goes by here every day or two and we can see them drill about two hundred yards from us. Johnathan was agoing to go to the city but he has could not get a pass so he could not go. i halve not been out side of the camp since i halve been here except on parade last saterday week ago we marched down to the city with four other regiments besides ours witch made a prety good string of us all together. well i think it is a getting time to close this note but you can tel Garret that i have not forgot him and his family if i have not writen to him and Cate the same and i will write as soon as i can but i will write just as soon as i halve time. i have not for got you yet witch i expected that you thought i had by not writing                      Your Affectionate Brother

                                                                        Wilson To James W Sproul

SOURCES