Camp Sherman Sept 13..63

 

Dear Ruth and children it is Sunday at sundown i am well and hope and pray these few lines may reach you in reasonable health the health of our army is not verry good far from it my health is not extra

 

Monday morning Sept 14..

this is a beautiful but as pleasent a morning as i have seen many milds from this place. O if i ware in old montgomery this day yes i think i would not drill in the browling sun and tramp through dust 4 inches deep to get to the drill ground no not i. i would find other imployment. what would it be well i think it would be to talk with my dear family and look at pleasent garden scenes shrubs and flours. yes i think of you ofton and when i retire to rest O what fills my mind what keeps me from sleep or sleep from me, tis thoughts of past life. may god in his mercy pleas forgive all our sins and help us to prepare for that change that awaits us if faithful yes / the company has just started out to drill and i am excused for the day by the Doctor. i took a doce of salts this morning i am sitting in my tent and can write without hearing as much nois and profane swairing as usual. i ofton talk to my tent mates some of them are young and have been reared by praying parents who gave them good advice whos ancious care watched over there infantile years with hopes of gratitude and joy but there sons, how wicked—O my heart feels for them i want to see them change there downward cource

 

            Now my dear Ruth pleas write to me if you can i have not received but one letter for over 2 months i have written about 10 or 12 in that time i do not expect that you have got near all that i written no but probly you have received some of them. if you write soon direct to (Vixburg Miss) but maby i will come and bring you a letter and then i will know that it goes through. i must rest yes i am weak /

                                                                                                                              

well dinner is over and i will write a few more lines. Roads Malone and ford has arived (Sept 14) so i think maby i will have the privileg of going home soon and if i do i will take this letter my self thats so

 

we are puting up a brush shed beside our tent to keep off the dust and allso the hot rays of the scorching sun. how cool and nice it will be to sit under to write or eat our little old rations around our ruff table but then the boys will play cards there and sware but there will be a time when they will be called to account for all there sinful deeds (yes) then it may be too late for repentance

 

A line to Philander well Phy i expect you are a good son so kind to mother what a good thing it is to be kind to a Mother, who has been so kind so wachful so prayrful and has done all in her power for your wellfare

 

            Princis Silva and little Ruth John and Laura are all good names and good children that so

                                                                                                JohnGriffen Scoville

                                                                                                to his family in Ohio 

 

Ruth you may think this to be a singular letter but you must concider who it is written by and that he is far from his family and with a wicked army—but thankful i am that i have thus far led a strate forward life ever since i left home and went on the old Miss river

 

Sept 15..63

Oh, heare is a letter from my dear wife it brings me good news from home from friends that i left in tears from friends that we not seen for years. now Ruth i thank you verry kindly for your good advice concerning dreams i know it is not much to dream but i thought it singular that i should dream the same one so ofton as for haveing confidence in your love and affections for me i doubt not nor have i ever since we sat on that log together on the banks of the Miss, nor did ever doubt that you did not love me. o pleas for give me for miss treating you the one that i pledged my self to nerish and protect did i allways do it i answer no did not but the cause that another thing—O what is the use

 

[margins]

 

mor another time you

nead not show this to every one

 

i will express some money

to you from Vixburg Sept 17—63

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