Camp 1^st N J Cavelry

January 21^st 1865

 

Dear Wife & boy

            I receivd your letter last night and with it three others i am allways glad to hear from you but you must allways talk about the dogs & game cocks let George have them if he want them i care not i do not want them better let him than Herman Lovet i did not get any game cock of him & the 50 dollar bond i do not care who keeps it but you must get the monney for it not the bond you have to pay interest if you keep that 5 percent and you only draw 7 so you only make two cents on the dollar if you want monney why go get that you have the receipt and any one will take it / you want money you say Lebaugh will take that or any other store keeper i thought wen i told you to let father have it you had plenty of monney you must not borrow and do not say any thing more to father about the dogs i do not want them i do not like Ginny as much as i did i like monney better and i must try and think of somthing to go at wen i come home i expect that lether will be so high that i will not be able to buy father wrote lether was very high he thought it was low enuf wen he bought that of you it rains very hard now you never saw it rain so either it froze this morning as it fell but it is most gone now we are in house snug the house leaks through and it is ankle deep under the floor i have been on / a three days scout but saw no rebs i got some good whiskey and fresh pork i have some pork yet my direaher is about the same a little better to day but it is becaus i am chilly i dare not keep to warm or elce i must run the warm wether fetches me Generl Gregg says we will not fight any more we will be home in the spring a private by the name of Henry Smith went home on a fourlough this morning he got abe sutphen to write him a letter stating his wife was sick i expect williamson will go next i could go if i was to lie a little but i am affraid that they will find me out one fellow said his wife had a baby he has not been home in over a year and the officers laufed / about it they said he must have had good neibours wat did we lauf i have more letters to write and i will not write you a long one to day but next time i will i want to write to George to day if i can and i must go and cut wood so good Bye i will make you some picturs give my best love to father Mary George Aferd and all the rest Kiss the boy and learn him to talk i got a letter from J Gardner i have answered it

 

Good Bye

your Husband

H H Covert

 

            [two bird drawings]

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