Camp Curtin Nov 28^th/61

 

Mr. Henry Matthews

 

Esteemed friend

It is with pleasure I acknowledge the receipt of your truly interesting letter of the seventeenth which came safely to hand and I was glad to receive it and to hear from an old friend. this is thanksgiving day we have just been out and heard a splendid sermon from our chaplain he preached a very good sermon if I am a judge 

 

We are not drilling any today we was on guard yesterday fifty six of us and feel sumwhat sleepy today. We are prety well with the exception of one or two John Downing is geting beter slowly Arthur and Samson are well. Capt Hoagland started home yesterday morning Perhaps you will see him thare we have not got our company quite full yet we have some big times about the second lieutenant. M^cCartney Hill and E C Thompson are all runing and I do not think ether of them will get it thare is a man by the name of Michel has agreed to fech men enough into the company to fill it for the lieutenancy and if he can get the men that will cut them all out Hill and M^c begins to think they are sold for nought / M^c went to town the other night and came back and came back considerably under the influence of whiskey I suppose not geting his office set kind of hard on on him. Hill and M^c are not the men they passed off for about sharon in my opinion but please say nothing about what I have written for I would not do them any injury. I

 

Well Henry we are still in camp curtin and do not know how long we will be here but I think we will leave this before long the colonel says we will leave next tuesday but I dont think we will for he has set two or three days already and has not gon yet we do not know whare we will go yet I expect we will go into south carlina or Kentucky or stay in camp curtin I do not know which but I hope we will leave this 

 

I think it is a pity for poor Jim geting the mitten it was very cruel indeed to hurt the poor fellows feelings so. I think you had ought to have attended that party down at your dearly beloved Annas she would be very much disapointed on acount of you not being thare but you can call down some time and have a party of your own her and you'll make party enough for one night I think that was a large party Smith Byerly had two ladies and him that was some party I heard you was a going to take two ladies and backed out if you had wend you might have had a big time smith and you and four ladies I would like to know who Smiths ladies ware

 

Henry I would like to be to your singing some night I suppose you will have the money to collect I think you will have a nice time collecting it from the ladies you can go home with them turn about and get the money if I was thare I would help collect it for you Well Henry I must close writing at this time you must be carefull for they say in that neighborhood seven women takes holt of one man and not let them get hold of you or you are gon shure no more give my love to all from your friend

 

Please write soon                                                                               

Hiram Thompson

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