Belinda July 17

 

Sarg Enos Reed

34^th Iowa Vol Infantry

                                                                                                                        Dear Brother

I received your letter of the 27 ult with pleasure and was glad to hear from you and that you was well This leaves us all well and so far as I all of the friends in the neighborhood are enjoying the same blessing

 

This is a remarkable warm day but distant thunder warnes us of a shower (not such a one as you have had on several occations and we had at Arkansas Post) but a real regular old fashioned rain with prehaps a little hale and I say let it come /

 

I was very sory to hear that our Regiment was about to be consolidated with the 22^nd and the Corps merged in 19^th all with out their consent for nothing in my opinion will disturb the harmony of an army or regiment so much as to loose confidence in there officers

 

            Things work very well in Iowa I believe crops are tolerable good peace and harmony prevails and above all politicks runs in the right direction I believe I do not know where I will settle yet but likely not in this county I was up to Desmoines / last week and I like the country that I seen better than I do Lucas County and if you are not to much tied to Lucas I should like to have you for a neighbor when I settle

 

If the war was over I would like to see you come roling in but in my opinion it will not be over before fall after the battle of the November next I think the rebles camps will be easily broken up

 

            A soldiers life is a pretty hard one the have many hardships to undergo and / many privations to encounter that one who has never experienced a soldiers life little dream of but there is one consoling thought for the many hardships and that is that there is a better time acomeing when wars and fightings will be at an end and the authority of the United States will be established in every village and respect for her laws kno no bounds in this wourld

 

            Write often your letters are always welcome

 

                        With respect I

                                    remain your brother

                                                James Harden

 

[margin]

 

Ene I will rite some next time, Mary

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