Centreville Va. April 26^th/63

 

Dear Sister,

                                                                                                                        I have just received your letter, & I set me down and answer it immediately. I was very much surprised when reading its contents. I was surprised to learn that our folks were worrying so much about me. you think I am a great deal worse off than I really am. I am almost as well as I ever was in my life. the Dr says as soon as warm weather comes, which is near at hand now, that I will get entirely well. there is nothing ailing me now, only I am a little weak. I dont think Mother writing to Dr Hoyt will have any more of a tendency towards getting a discharge / for me. I feel first rate now & expect to go on duty before long. If I dont think I can get a discharge unless I should happen to get sick again & be sick for quite a while, neither do I want one if I am able for duty, for if I am able to stay I think it is my duty to do so. I will explain to you the reason for my staying behind if the brigade moved at the time they expected to, about two weeks ago. they didnt move as they expected to so we are here yet. The reason I was left was that they expected to march 7 days & take seven days rations. they thought I was'nt quite strong enough to carry my gun & knapsack yet, so they left me. I went to the brigade hospital here the morning they expected to go, for every thing was herlerberley at the time. they dont expect to march now & I am back with the reg^t again

 

            27^th I saw Dr Hoyt this / morning. he said that he got a letter from father last night. he didnt tell much me anything about what father wrote, but asked quite a number of questions. If the Drs sees fit to discharge a man they will do it, if they think he is subject to one, & if not they will do just as they are a mind too about it, it is wholly in their power. If I am well when warm weather comes I think I will be all right. I would of been on duty long before this, but the Dr says he isn't going to put any of the boys on duty yet a while that had the Measles. the Dr told me he was going to write to father. tell me what he writes if you are a mind to. I can procure a Co record for Mrs Day about next saturday, then I will forward it to you & you can give it to her. We were paid off yesterday, you may bet the old pay master was welcomed for the boys were about all out of money. enclosed / I send my army allotment of 32 Dollars, which you can get cashed at the bank the same as the other one that I sent. I was surprised to learn that Daniel had taken such a sudden start eastward. I hope that he will be crowned with success. We are having quite warm weather here now. peach trees are out in blossom here they look very promising. Citizen continue to come in at this point about 20 came in last night, men, women & little children. it looked hard to see them leave their homes & fleeing for their lives as it it were, for they are were drafting every man that is possibly able to bear arms. The rebs say picket lines and ours were so clost together down near Richmond a short time ago that they could talk to each other. the rebs hollowed to our boys & asked them if we knew they had a new General, our boys said no, the rebs said their new Gen used them very hard & that they would like to get another. our boys asked them what their new Generals name was, they said it was a General starvation. I guess that it is the case by what the citizens say that came in our lines. I must now close hoping to hear from you again soon,    from your affectionate brother

                                                             Albert

 

Julia   

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