Belleplain Va.             Apl 23

 

Dear Daughter

            I presume you did not know that I have been under arrest for some 2 weeks on acct of not having the certificates sent by Dr Allen sworn to the first ones I mean it seems that the Col was bound not to recognize them as evidence of my being sick while away so he arrested me for absence without leave although I called for a Court of Inquiry which is the common custom in like circumstances usually I went to Court twice but nothing was done. I have had a real easy time have not been on duty but 2 days since I came back. I posted myself up all the time with / good evidences & was ready for the trial any time but it did not seem to come so I got tired & so did the boys doing without me & they all petitioned me to send a statement to the General & in accordance with their request I did so & in less than 24 hours I was released from arrest & the men or rather officers so interested were completely beat & mortified that they made nothing out of it. I care nothing about it, nor have not only that you & my friends might hear that I was in arrest & that it was for something this I call nothing as it has proved. My Lieut Smith & the Col I think planed the thing to work me out for they have attempted to do so by put all the Temperance men in the office in the regt 

 

We have moved our camp & have no good time are we having as our tents are very poor & commenced raining last night & is still raining. I am afraid some of us will get cold I call myself sick to day and am not much sick however but am not feeling quite as well as usual. I have good times playing Chess & Chequers tell Percy I can beat him now at either I will bet a great apple although I never bet on plays I have just read your letter again & it is so much like you it seems I was seeing you. the peach trees are in full bloom here and they are a splendid sight I tell / this a good Country and all it wants is just to be cultivated by Yankees the climate is just right here although it is sometimes quite chilly still it is not freezeing weather like Maine I wrote bub yesterday & you but a short time ago I suppose Allin & Ma will go home soon. I think you will miss them very much especially at your table. I did not say to Percy to take enough money to pay him what I did not pay him on acct of late [?] Mother can make it right or I will hereafter You cannot read what I have written as I hurry it up so fast and have such a poor chance. Send me some stamps in all your letters for they go fast with me for all depend on me for them do not / put but few in a letter & then you will write often if you keep me posted up with them I hope mother is better you must cheer her up & tell I will get discharged for cowardise or something else by & by I am not going to stay out here always & make her time so lonely without me I know she ought to have me with her & I hope she will as soon as this war is over & I hope it will not last always Mr Mayhew is fat & healthy & so are most all our men I do not think this a sickly country—what it be to us is our exposure to colds & fever by laying on the ground & our over exertions in marching many times. write often as I want you to write often—

 

                                                            Yours

                                                                        Daniel Marston /

 

in a hurry full of mistakes

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