Little Rock Ark

Dec 26^th 1864

 

Friend Mrs. C.

                        Yours of Dec 10^th has been received and was hailed by me as your letters always are with pleasure. Yet I was a little disappointed in not receiving your likeness. but I suppose it is only paying me back for not sending mine in time, but enough of that. I am glad to know that you are blest with such good opportunities of spending your leisure time I wish we had the same chance of having a course of lectures delivered to us here in the army this winter I always loved to attend lectures of almost any character and especially those treating on moral or self culture /

 

There is a series of meetings in progress in our regt and has been for some time past. There are some very able ministers connected with the Christian Commission at the head as leaders yet I do not see that they are likely to accomplish a very great work here at this time. The cause of this may in part be attributed to the fact that soldiers as a general rule are a pretty hard set. I speak as a Soldier and for a Soldier. But enough of this.

 

            Christmas has come and gone again. I expect the people of the North are about this time all enjoying themselves finely having peace and plenty

 

Christmas this year has been no more to me than any other day and yet I cannot say but that I enjoyed it firstrate for that is / the way I try to spend every day one day if it is well spent is just as good as another and spent in the same way. When I look back over the year that is now almost gone and note the change that has taken place even in my own Co. I am perfectly astonished There are several of my comrads who were with us then that are not now None of them however have died of disease but several of them were killed on the field of battle and others are now prisoners in Texas I sometimes wonder if another year will produce as great a change in my Co and regt as the last one has. I wonder farther; I wonder if one year's more of fighting is to be done before the rebellion is brought to a close / If it must be done we may look and expect more and greater change in the war than in the last year Yet unless they lay down their arms and become subject to the laws of the U. States I want the war to go on and not stop till they do I hope our friend Ambrose will survive the disappointment and chagrin which he has in common with others of the same stamp experienced in the defeat of the little giant on the 8^th of Nov. last I know how to feel for him and thousands of soldiers have felt for and found a good many of the friends of Gen. M^c but they have almost universally been found on the wrong side of the question, been found in the rebel army.

 

Is that saying too much?

 

It is truth any how

 

Enough for the present

 friend G. good by

 

Write soon

 

[upside down]

 

you need not address in care of Capt Sheldon as he is no longer Capt of Co I

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