Camp at Gadden Valley

Thirty Five Mile South of

Rolla, Mo. March 22d 1863

 

Dear Parents

                        I have been waiting a long time for a letter from you but have not saw any yet. Our mail does not reach us very regular now days. We do not get any more than once a week on an average. I received a letter from Bert a week ago to day I think that he is getting to be considerable of a sprout from some of his talk. We are having very fine weather down here at present it is getting warm enough to go without drawers and under shirts down here now it is just warm enough to make a fellow lazzy as the old harry. We are camped on a slight rise / of ground with plenty of good water close by there is a small creek running through the valley and there is a good well close by where we can get plenty of good drinking. good water is the main point of a good camp ground. Around this part of this miserable state there is any quantity of these louzy Bushwackers it is just the place for them around among these rocks and valleys. I had a chance to see a few of those lurking d—ls when we was camped at Mountain Grove. Since we left there we marched four days and we traveled over some of the roughest roads that I ever saw. I want you to get me some little pills if you can and send them to me. I want something for billiousness, and something to take for my liver. my side troubles me very much on a march. I tell you one thing / I cannot stand as much now as I could before I went in to those develish armey Hospitals There is the place to use men up if it is not I dont know any thing a bout it. I have naturally come to the conclusion that this war is one of the darndest humbugs that was ever invented. Let men march all day, twenty or twenty five mile on nothing but Hard crackers and sow belley to eat, and them probably have to stand picket all night without any sleep or rest. how long can any common man stand it. War is a very nice thing when you can set at home by the fire and talk about it. But when it comes to going in to the field and shouldering a musket there are a great many that aint there. I got a letter from W^m Maxfield the other day / his opinion of shouldering a musket is not as good as it might bee. Arch got a letter last sunday from Dick dated the first. He was then at new creek Va. Arch says that he is getting so lazy that he cant stand up. That seems to be the general complaint all throug the company Rice is all right with the exception of his head. That troubles him most all the time. Scott is just about played out, a sicker man of this war you never see he is growling around all the time like a dog with a sore head. Jo. Rundle is the same Jo all the time he is fat as a hog all the time This all this time

 

Answer soon   I remain your

affectionat son            S. Strong

 

give my respects to all the folks

 

(PS) Rice says any time you have time to spare, he would like a letter from you

                                                                                                            S. Strong

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