Mo

Springfield Sunday night

Sept the 13^th 1862

 

                                                                                                            Dear Father Mother and Sisters with pleasure I take my pen to write to you I received a letter from you a few days ago and I did not answer it sooner for I had written one a day or two before I got it and I write home once a week and on sunday when I can now I must tell you that we left camp Edwards on sac river this morning at 7 oclock and came to this place we are now at springfield and in the enemy country and where there has been some hard fighting and there is a prospect for more of it soon for we have reliable information this evening that the rebles are marching to attact us in two Colums and our forces are concentrating to this place we are intrenching here / and intend to give them half of it if we can and I think we have the sand to our regt is all going to work on the breast works in the morning and I expect we will have to work day and night for the emergency requires it for the rebles are reported 30000 strong and our forces that [?] were at Mt vernon are retreating to this place and now I must tell you that we had good news and it is the rebles are cut all to pieces in Virginia and I hope that it is so for if it is we my may get home before our three years is up and I can asure you that for one I shall not be sorry now I must tell tell you that I heard preaching this evening for the second time since I left home there has been some prayer meetings there was one last night in Co G but I was on guard and could not go 

 

Thomas Emery was here to day he is the first man that I have seen since I left home that I knew and I must also tell you that I rec'd a letter from F a few days ago and he was 20 miles from Corinth and was well I also got one from M Julias and they were all well but the widow she had the Billious fever but she was better now Mother I would like to see you to night and as I cannot I want to know whether you have got that likeness that I sent to you and what you think of it but I do not want you to let the girls see it for I am afraid I would scare them now I suppose you think I have been pretty extravigant by sending home for postage stamps I suppose I have but I could not help it for I had to get several things that I could not do without and them miniatures that I sent home / cost me 250 and I sent one to Ohio that cost one dollar more and I sent money for to have one taken and I have written this is the 25^th letter and you know that costs something and I have just just one five center left and it is pressed pretty hard I can tell you

 

Now Ann I cannot give you the information that you require I have tried to find him but have not yet found him I think he is in the 3^rd MGM and they are at Mt vernon they were here a few days before we came and I have seen some of the boys but I cannot find out what Company he is in but I think they will be here this week and I think when I write again I can tell you somthing about him it is bedtime and I will close so good bye one and all and write soon give my love to all and Betty I want you to take good care of Mother direct to St louis as before from your ever affectionate son and Brother John Reed

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