Alaxanderia Virginia

March 6^th /61            Camp Callifornia

 

Dear Father & Mother Sister and Brother Dolphin Brown as I am situated here & so lonesom but not homesick, I will write you a few lines to let you know how I am situated. There is a few of us here yet. Father the regiment mooved from here the 3^d day of March, and I was sick so I could not go with them. Emory has gone with them but he came doun on the cars to day to see me. he stayed here with me about one hour & ½ then the train went back & he had to go agan. I had the mumps midling hard & catched a midling hard cold and it went midling hard with me. It was over 2 weeks that I did not go out of my shanty but I got out the same morning that the Regiment went away. I am getting better all the time now. [margin torn away] said to day that they made some [torn away]whouses and tent in them. he said that they slep rather cold, / and I dont doubt but what they did, bout the same as laying out dors with one blanket. the Regiment has gone 8 or 9 miles farther. they expect a battle now soon. the regiments is marching out evory day now. our men drove in the Rebbel pickets last night & I hurd Parker say this after noon that he thought the would B fighting in less than 9 days. the Ambulences came from Alaxanderia this after noon & took evory man but one that was in the hospital & probably that one will die before morning Hirum_Frasie, Stephen_Rogers, Nute [margin torn away] William_Wade, & Earg_Colbern, that is who has gone out of our company. the boys such as myself & them that is lam & not tuff enough to stand the battle will Be took to th brigade hospital to morrow or next day & I shall haft to go with them. the was 4 or 5 Regiments not 2 miles a part here & the has 4 of them gone & the other is left here to watch the tents it is about bead time so I will haft to stop untill morning then I will finish & send it out if the maill comes along from the Regiment so I can get a chance so good night at present. /

 

            March 7^th 1861

Good morning. I minte say, how do U all do this morning. I think I hear you say we air all well, & I hope you U air. I am gaining some. I have got up this morning & made my coffee it is cooling where I am writing [margin torn] Palmer has got his discharge about made out so he expects to come home in a few days. I wrote a letter for you and gave it to him, but I thought I would write again because he dont know when he will come. I do not know yet whather I shall leave here to day or not. & maby we shall not leave a tall. the may B such a thing as that the Regiment will come back in a few days but probably not. the is all kinds of news so we cannot tell any thing bout it. we think it is verry strange Edgar did not come here [margin torn]ny as he was a going to Enlist, but it is to late to talk about it now, all though probably he will not see fighting as soon as we will but cant tell as for that. Mother we have got lots of dried fruit yet & I took just half of that box You sent & filled it up with dried fruit & put M.s. fidle in & put in some clothes & took it down to the captains office & put it with the captains box so it would go where his went. dont you beleive M. sold his old fidlle for $5½ dollars, then went & got a pass & went strait to Alaxanderia & bought another one new wright out of the shop. he made $1½, & got twice as good a fidlle the last time. Mother I have got that gell cake yet that you sent me, & tell Grandmother that I shook her thumb & fore finger off & eat them up & the rest I am agoing to kepp untill the 10^th of this Month then I am agoing to eat ther gell cake & the rest of her hand up. U know what that is for I spose. we have got about 2 lb of butter yet & I am agoing to save my tea untill next Sunday so to put it in my canteen of warm water when I am a marching. I think it will B for my health. I cannot send my letter to day but I think I have wrote enough for this time tell Frances I got her letter tell Sophie & Frances that they must not wait for a answer evory time. U must not wait so long evory [torn] this may B the last time & letter but I hope not so good by E.E.B.

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