Camp Seminary Oct 9^th/61

 

Mother

            I do not know but that I shall scold a little as I have not recieved a letter from you for a good while. I have been very busy for several days and consequently could not write many letters but I managed to get two written on sunday last. One to Phronie and one to Minnie. I recieved one today from Phronie. I wrote to Aunt Min. to send on some postage stamps instantly as I am entirely out of reach of that valuable article without which I am unable to correspond. I intended to tell her "but forgot to do so" to request that my violin "commonly called fiddle" should be also sent me Per Adams Express / directed to E.W.Warren! Co. "C" Kent^y Cav. Alexandria Va. I wish that you would have my violin sent to me immediately. The expense would be very small and the pleasure that it would give me would be very great as the evenings are begining to get long and lonesome to me I cannot help thinking occasionally of home comforts i.e. Nettle and Ella. Tell both of my pets that I miss them I have no little Ella to run and meet me when I come to my dinner and to kiss me at night before I go to bed. No Yaller dog comes barking to meet me. Poor Nettle! If he misses me as much as I do him he is lonesome. Take good care of him for my sake. We had an election in Camp yesterday. The Democrats / were defeated and retreated in disorder. I do not know as there is any news to write so I will close by saying Goodnight.

 

Please to send my fiddle on as soon as possible and be sure to send on a good supply of the best strings and rosin in abundance as I cannot get such things here. I wish you could see our camp at night. The men mostly gathered around the fire "as it is getting to be quite cool" Telling stories and smoking. In my tent you would see Serg^t Davis and Willie smoking some very fine cigars which Davis has had sent to him from Phila^da We generally spend the evenings togather. Either in conversation, reading news / but oftener in silence as that is still my style. Davis is a splendid fellow no matter where you find him. He is a graduate of some college in Maine I have forgotten the name of it. A perfect gentleman can be as easily distinguished from a clown in camp as in parlors. And you will soon see that they make the most desirable companions. Serg^t Bitters is another of my companions of whom I will speak when I have more time.

 

Both of them are now present and send their best respects to all of my relations.

 

                                                                        Good Bye

                                                                        Your Son

                                                                                    Will

 

P. S. Serg^t Wheeler & Pvt Irwin send respects

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