Camp Near Batewell
                                                                                                Ark June 5 1862

My Dear Father

 

            Our Regt was paid yesterday. for the months of March and April.

 

            I had hoped he would wait till July and make a four Months pay when I would have been able to have sent you $500.00 as it is I will send $250.00 Two Hundred & fifty dollars by Express from Rolla or St Louis – The Paymaster kindly offers to take it back with him which makes its transmission comparatively safe. he may not start back for several days.

 

            Got a letter from Ellen yesterday, dated May 8/62 I would like to have al write oftener If you desire and are anxious to hear from me – bear in mind that it is an equal satisfaction to me to rec. letters from Home.

 

            Our force here is some 10 to 15 thousand. 10,000 have gone to reinforce Halleck at Cornith. – all our troops have been recalled from the road towards Little Rock.  we have advice that the Rebels have concentrated 10,000 troops at that place – their Guerrilla Bands are scouring the whole Country around. – one of their Gun Boats is now at Jacksonport and has forced our Troops to retire out of range of its guns. – the rebels have destroyed all the cotton, sugar & stolk in the place. the amt of which I believe I have informed you in a previous letter.

 

            I believe I wrote Ellen about a little skirmish with a band of Guerrillas.  This was the first time I have even smelled “powder,” as the boys say, or was in a hail storm of Bullets. I had a strange indescribable feeling but nothing like fear, or a desire to get out. of the way. I believe that a real Coward hardly exists among our nations born American Soldiery, but two of Co K exhibited any signs of it, and they were Dutch.

 

            Capt. Miller’s Trial is now progressing.

 

            How it will Terminate, it is not yet in my power to say. altho in a Civil Court under such an array of strong evidence he would unquestionably be convicted.

 

            The Judge Advocate told me yesterday that a commissioned Officer could do most any thing and come off unscathed.

 

            Under such a State of affairs, or Military Ethics. the result is uncertain.

 

            We are pretty close now for provision having nothing but corn meal and coffee. The meal can only be cooked in the most simple way as there is nothing to cook it with, as the Women Say. We have Beef some time, it it is awful lean and caused sickness so the Surgeon thinks in this Hot Climate.

 

            The days are Hot and the nights cold.

 

Shall write again Soon           

Sends regards to all

            As Ever Your Son
                        A. H. Griswold    

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