I would write more but I want

to write to Mag before dark

Camp near Alexandria

March 29^th 1862

 

Dear Sister Aggie

                                                                                                                        I received Your welcome letter a few minutes ago & as this is a very suitable time I will answer it now. I was very sorry & I am very much concerned to hear that Mother has not been so well lately. I hope that she is entirely recovered & that Bobs visit will do her much good. Bob will likely be home about the time that you get this letter. I wish I could get visiting home once but I do not expect to be able until we are discharged. I have just got a letter each from Bob & Maggie. Bob is quite well. Maggie & family are all well but I suppose you will hear from both before you get this 

 

You will see by the heading of my letter that we are still in the same place from which I wrote you last & it seems very doubtful if we are going on a fleet at all. They are very busy at present shipping Keyes Corps De Armee & as we belong to McDowells Corps it seems very doubtful if they will ship both I have been at a grand review of McDowells Corps since we came here. There was about 50,000 troops reviewed. Our Division were reviewed first consequently on the right of Corps. It was the largest amount of troops I have ever seen together at one time. Our regiments have nearly all supplied themselves with tents taken from the deserted Camps about here I am living quite comfortable in a large / round tent that will hold 15 quite easy. We have had very nice weather for 2 or 3 days back but it commenced snowing about dinner time & has been snowing & sleeting ever since. It does not appear that we are going to stay here very long & indeed we are tired of the place already we having made it a principle to get tired of any place that we stay that long at from now till the war is over. They have disbanded 3 New York regiments in Washington all ready. Caseys division came across the river last night. Some of them were saying to day that they had a very hard time last night had to sleep out without tents "it being a fine night" It made us laugh in our sleeves we thought how they would have / liked it if they had been along with us some of the bad nights we laid out here when the new recruits went out in the woods by themselves & cried I am very sorry that you have still to walk up & down to Manchester I am sure Dear Aggie I would like if I could help it but I cannot You must have a very monotonous life in the dreary old school I hope Anne succeded in her lawful endeavors I think she is quite right. The reason that I did not go to see Mrs Pierce was that I was not there. I was over at the 2^nd Regt guarding the Ammunition for several days before we started & I did not know she was going & for the same reason I could not procure a box to send home what I could not carry. I left nothing behind except the comfort. I thought I would try & carry them all before I would throw them away. I am glad to hear that John is a better boy tell him to keep on getting better Give my love to all at home & a very big pile to my poor Dear Mother who I am so sorry is sick write immediately & let me know if she is better Dear Sister permit this                                             Your Aff Brother            Hugh Fraser

 

[margins] I am quite well / Very much obliged to you for the stamps / I made a raise today of 2 stamped Envelopes

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