Camp Gambel July the 8^th 1863

 

My Dear Wife I take my pen in hand to let you no that we are hear yet but we dont now how long we will stay we was oarderd a way and wee went and marched down to the rivver yesterday eavning and then the reg ment was oarderd back on the same Camp and we are hear yet but we dont no how soon we will hav to leav we was oarderd to heleoney Arcansis Jenerel printes is thare he has had a fite with prise and whiped old prise and took a grate many prisners and vicks burg is ours Jenerel Grant took the City on the forth of July oh we hav glorious news hear Jenerel Rosencrans has whiped lee on the potomac and lots of the men in the City says the fiting is a bout all don tha say the ware will soon be over / and the soaldiers soon go home and oh you dont no how bad I want to see you all but I think that the ware will close after a fiew harde fits I think it will end old lee will hav to be demorelised in tierley be fore tha will giv it up

 

well now I will tell you I and Silvester kirk and severel other boys sent som clothing home we sent them by exspress to Chilecothe and I want you to giv andey ridenour 2.00 to pay the exspences on the box the box is sent to andey I sent one over coat and one blanket and too peare of drawers and a cup and cap and my name was rote on a peece of paper and fasend to them the blanket is a gray one and tied up with a string I sent the cup to Jacob and when I come I will bring the others My over coat has pockets in the sides onder the cape and one over coat that belongs to James Selsor and severel other things that is the other boys / tha are all marked to them so each person will no thare one and as soon as you can find out whether the box comes or not rite if it dont now all a bout this I exspect you had better go and see andey I sent twentey fore dollars by Robert bool to you and I want you to let me now as soon as you can whether you hav got it or not we will leav hear be many days I think you go and see andey as soon as you get this letter

 

I dont now when I will com home to see you I hav kep a nuff to pay my way home even if we go to helone i will hav the rise of 15 dollars and you keep that money for we may go whear we cant send our money home we are shure to go south I think we are searten to go down in Arcansis after oald prise and Marmeduke and som others I dont now thare names Rittey Ann dont be a larmed at eney thing and keep in good hart and take care of your self and the children / and I want you to see andey and now how mutch exspenc the hole box was and then send the hole a mount of what it coast to mee so the boys can pay thare part Silvester and me pays the exspences of the box and then tha pay us our thare part hear as soon as you rite what the box coasts to me well Rittey Ann a gane I want you and the children to keep in good hart and if I never see you eney more tell the that I am on a good cause and if I die I die a soaldier for my God and my Country and if I fall on the battel field or elce wheare I fall in the defence of our flag of our Country So I must now Close remember mee when this you see a man in favor of our Countery

 

J. W. Sanders              direct your letters to

R. A. Sanders              Sant louis

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