Thursday March 24^th 64

Camp 79^th O.V.I.

Wauhatchie station.

 

Dear Mother,

                        Nine Oclock to day finds me seated with pen in hand to scribble a few lines to you that you may know how I am getting along. I have great reasons to thank God for his goodness towards me. I have had very good health ever since I recovered from sickness last spring and I think that my constitution is stronger than it was when I came into the service. There has been some quite winterish weather here since we came. When I awoke tuesday morning I found to my surprise that the snow was about six inches deep and it continued / to snow untill three Oclock P.M. when it ceased at the depth of fifteen inches. but wednesday morn the sun came out and melted most of it away and I think that by to night the most all of it will be gone.

 

Mar 25^th Just as I had got this far along with my letter the Orderly came along and told me that I had to go on picket, so I put up my blankets in my knapsack and two days rations in my haversack and started out for two days. when we started out the weather looked fair, but at nine oclock at night it began to rain. at ten it came my turn to stand guard and it rained hard untill eleven when it turned to sleet and then to / snow and by twelve when my turn was over the ground was covered again with about three inches of snow, but it soon turned to rain again and is still raining by spells, and I got so wet and cold that I could not sleep. but I have got off well that is only the second night that I remember of that I could not sleep since I came into the service, but to the surprise of all that was with me there was a relief came to us this morning and we came to camp. When I came in what should I find but that Box that has been so long on the road. It was in much finer condition than I expected to find it. The cork had blew out of the catsup bottle and about one third of it had run out on the cake, apples / and onions, and spoiled about half of the cake six of the apples and eight onions, and ten envellopes with three sheets of paper. that was all that was dammaged. I opened a can of butter for dinner it looked and tasted first rate. I never expected to see the box after we left Nashville but it came through without costing me any thing, or has not yet they gave me it and said nothing about express. Jeffrey Kersey and I got a letter from Mr Squiers and I am glad to hear of such a revival in the Church also from the letters you have been sending me. Nothing makes me feel better / than to get letters of that kind. I dont like to boast for I dont believe in it, but the cheif thing I have against being here is the because of the poor chance one has to enjoy religious circles to be shure I believe we have one of the best Chaplains in the army and he works as hard for the interest of the men as any man can work. evry chance he has he has meetings of all kinds and I believe a man can live a better man in the army if he will than he can at home for after his little daily duty is done he has nothing else to employ his mind with but at home he has but here there is the strongest [?] on all sides and he has to watch and pray. my sheet is full. From your son

 W H Bone

 

I send some photographs of my comrades please take care of them in the best way you can. I dont mean to lock them up but not loose them. Dont keep that one in public that I sent you before.

 

I think that one

of yours looks well

it hardly looks

natural on account

of the you being

so fleshy.

SOURCES