Headquarters of 115 Regt

Tuesday September the 8^th 1863

 

Well, Mother

Well this is an awfull hot evening to be in camp but then i am well and fat greesy and i hope that these few lines reaches you that they may find you well and in good spirits

 

i got a letter from Selina to day and she said that you were sick now you must not work so hard for there is no use of it atall for you are able to live without it

 

            Now you see that I get 17 do a month and do not work only 5 hours a day I think that that is making mony easy but then it is not the mony that i am after atall. 

 

I got a letter from Mary Starks and she said her mother and martha was going out there and would be through here {the city} to day so i got a pass and went out to the Depot, and looked for them but narry a bit did i see either of them so i came back more disappointed than i had expected. when I came back the boys had all gone out on a big battalion drill so i got out of 3 hours work last frid we had a grand review here by Gen. Willcox there was three Regts off soldiers it was a pretty grand sight to see 3,000 men in one strait line. the old Gen. came riding along one his with his Staff and his body guard which was consisted of 1 Company of Cavalry.

 

There are 4 Regts here in Camp now / the boys are most all down on Col Mohan for keeping such a strict guard line there is no getting out in town atall with out a pass you said that Cuming was sick i would have liked to know what was the matter with him from the way you gave me advice i allow that cumings had told you a long string of lies. he asked me what he should tell you and i told him whether i was a cristian or not and I told him {for i was as indepenent as a hog} to tel you that i was wel and all right. and as for being a good boy he might tel you what he pleased or thought and i have an idie that he told / you that i was a pretty hard bat but if you think i am a wicked boy ill jus refer you to any boy in the camp you cant find a boy that has heard me swear or get drunk I did play a few games of cards but it was just to pass away the time for I never played for money and if you donot want me to play just say so in yore next letter and I'll quit right off and never play another game

 

Now when you write a gain i want you to tell me what pap an Toby are doing whether they are sowing wheet or done or not I expect that you think I am home sick from the way i have been writin but i aint not a bit of it for i have never been sick since I came here not one hour

 

From your son

Bart. Dooley

to Mrs Sarah A Dooley

SOURCES