Spring Banks Va Febuay 3^th 1862

 

my Dear wife I take up my pen to write to you a rathe sorowful letter this time I hardley know how to undertake the taske you will have heard before this time to what I alude it is about John M^cDonalds death which occurred on Saturday night about ten oClock when I was telling you about the death of John Francis I litle thought then I would have to record the death of another brave young soldier so soon / But such is the fate of war there is none of us safe from death at any time much less now exposed to cold and wet and all kinds of hardships of camp life the only wonder is that there is not more of them dies but God can take care of us here as well as at home he can keep us in the hollow of his hand as the aple of his eye let us all put our trust in him and he will never leave us or forsake us I would like to write a uligg on the brave young soldier who has fought his last batle but my feelings / will not permit me to do so at present I can hardly prevent my grief from geting the better of me you may think it childish of me to say so but I canot help it my Dear Kate hug and cheer up his brokenhearted mother as well as you can tell her that there was not one of us dreamt of him dying I have just received a dispatch from Mr Lockhart saying to bury him here well so be it we tryed to raise mony enough here to send his body home but we could not do it at present / the least would amount to sixty dollars the cheapest way we could send him therefore we will have to defer it for the present we will bury him to morrow and take our last farewell of our brother soldier peace to his ashes write to me and let me know if it is the wish of his mother that his remains should go home hereafter and if it is we will try and do so we will bury him by himself untill we hear from home

 

I am well and hope that these few lines will find you all the same

 

God bless you all

James Calhoun

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