Scottsborough Feb 23..64

            Ala, in camp

 

                    now i will try to finish this letter and maby i will be caled on to go on duty of some kind before i write 3 lines. I am well yesterday being the 22 of Feb was a great day you know it is Washingtons birth day our cannons fired 34 rounds for the 34 states i tell you it sounded beautiful hear along the mountain side but i did not injoy it for it sited me to Shiloh and other battle grounds whare death and carnage ware on every side

 

i have been helping haul wood this fore noon / we all have a clay fire place to our shebangs or shantes there is 9 shantes to our company some have 8 men some 6 some 4 or 5 some 2 a soldier by the name of Benjamin F Hilling and my self bilt us one to our notion we have lots of room and a large fire place and shelves to put our dishes on and a little table and lots of fixings when we come off from picket and get a fire bilt and the floor swept clean it seams some like home…but my wife and dear children are not there no no nor would i wish them to be but i would like to be with them…well / i hope i will. will not a soldier know how to prize and appreciate peace at home after undergoing the hardships of camp life and being deprived of society so long i think if any boddy can injoy home and friends twill be the surviving vetran soldiers that have bore the blunt fought in front we feel like a band of brothers and we will end the storm it wont be long long well anchor by and by pleas write ofton—good

by at present

                                    J G S /

 

Phi are you still kind to mother and sisters well i am glad to know that you are. well Phi i think i will be there to help you and when we get to farming i think we will make things get rite along and wont those pigs grow fast and we must raise lots of corn and wheat and have a large potatoe pach (yes) bless the tater vines i may bye a small farm one of these days to spend the remainder of my life on if i do i will indeavor to make it a pleasent and attractive happy home

 

there is much contained in happy home

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