(to Ruth Scoville

Aug 16..63

Sunday morning 2 oclock Camp Sherman

 

Dear Wife and Children i write again informing you that i am well i say well but i am not as well as i mite be. O may these lines reach you in good health we are still in camp in the old peach orchard, not doing much except attending roll call 5 times a day. dear Ruth i have not received a letter for some time well i must tell you a dream that i had the other nite when i was on brigade gard i was supernumerary therefore i did not have to go on post but remained at the gard quarters and slept under the shade of a velvit tree. well i have dreamed the same dream once before. i awoke in pain and suffering in my hart and had been at home with my little family and was thinking of what comfort and happyness i could take and rest from better scenes but my dear Ruth treated me as a stranger yes i thought i was pleading with all the affectionate and kind words that a por soldier could say to his ever beloved companion but all in vain. you was as cold and indifferent as if you had never seen me before / and after i had been at home about an hour and seen all of my dear children i thought that you came to me and said i must leave and never again return go and forever stay from me and the children (—————————————)

 

            O Ruth i awoke then and i was weaping the Sargent of the gard said that i had been talking but he could not hear what i said well i was so glad that it was a dream but it has troubled me ever since that is my heart my mind my soul has been full of, what happyness no no. well this this life and its troubles will be ore and exchanged for eternal eternal joys on hy O that i ware a better christian i want to be filled with the grace of god and the power and love of christ Jesus his loving kindness O how greate yes he has kept me from infancy and has spaired my life in perilous and dangerous situations yes he has saved me and brought me safe thus far then how thankful i should be for all earthly blessings and for all of his mercy shown to us and for the blessed Bible that marks the road from earth to heaven 

 

Now pleas write ofton and i will get part of them if that dream was true i think i would spend the remainder of my life in the army but god forbid i have confidence in that affectionate heart yes i yet hope to comfort you and console and love and cherish that sweet form that i took my life companion. may god blessings attend you i will come home as soon as i can get a furlo                                            Monday morning Aug 17..63

 

            i will finish my letter this pleasent and beautiful morning my health is excelent and i injoy my self as well as could be expected under the surounding sircumstances

 

            Affectionate companion i know thou art true and i know you have more than your share of trouble o that i help you more and if i could have a part of your sorrorrows how gladly would i suffer in thy place yes my verry soul feels for you i know tis hard for you to have so much care and anxiety and troubles of this world but Christ will sustain you these afflictions work out an exceeding and eternal wait of glory. trust the lord 

 

 (write soon please do)

 

i wrote that i would send some clothing by express well i had a box filled and took it down to the landing the day before i left our old camp at Snyders Bluff but Adams express agent had just left and went to vicksburgh so i had to take the box back and take them out with me to the reg. i had 2 over coats 2 shirts 1 shelter tent and about 50 books part of them our chaplain gave to me when he started home i thought i would send the books to you for your Sunday School but i distribted them in our company and hope they will a bread cast on the watter to be seen after many days. we have brigade review to day at 5 oclock we will make a splendid aperance our clothing and arms and brasses are to be clean and bright and in the best of order our perade ground is a nice peace of ground in front of colonel Courses hed quarters Course is comanding our brigade but will be brigadear general be fore long. capt Minton is alive yet his wounds heal slow he will he is not able to comand his comp while the war lasts rarick has resined. yours forever J.G.S.

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