Camp Kemters Ford
August the 8 /63
My Dear Wife
I once more take the opportunity to write a fiew lines to you to let you know that I am well and hope these fiew lines will find you all well but I am afraid they wont. Your letter of the 23 stated that Matie was sick and the one you wrote the 28 states that she is no better. The last letter you wrote came through in three days. I have got all the letters you have writen since the battle. We get a mail every day now. I shal look for a letter to day. We got here a weak ago this morning. I wrote one letter and told you this was Ellises Ford. I thought it was but I have learned diferent since this is called Kemters Ford. I am now on guard at the ford. I will be relieved to knight. I have ben on three days. There is 30 men on this post and about 60 alittle wais back for reserve. We could talk with the rebel picets if it wasent for a dam a little way above the ford. The water falls 4 or 5 feet and it roars so we cant hear them nor they us. We sometimes salute each other by swinging our caps. They are verry quiet. We dont fire at each other. They could shoot us if they were amind to and we could them but I hope the picets wont get in that notion. It would be bothersome if we did. We have got orders not to fire unless they do. We had a bad knight last knight. It rained verry hard and we cant have eney tents up here so we had to lay out in the rain. I lay my woolen blanket down and my ruber over me and slept quite good but got some wet. It is clear and hot as ever again. Soldiers that were down here last sumer say they never see it so warm as it has ben this weak. There is two more regts here now to help us. I guess we will stay here some time. There was two regements lay here 9 months last year. It is a healthey place here. The water is good. I wrote a letter stating that Jim Dore and Tilbury were dead. I guess you dident get it. I wrote a fiew lines to Mrs Tilbury. I guess she dident get the letter. We heard yesterday that Sutleff was dead. That makes six killed out of our Co. Sutleff was wounded in his arm and it was amputated but I thought he would get along. There is a great meney that are slightly wounded and die after all. I wish I knew how little Matie is. Poor little thing. How sorry I feele for her and you to for I know you have it verry hard taking care of her. I am sorry to hear that she gets pale and poore. You had ought to had the doctor soone. I hope she will soone get along. You wanted to know if I wouldent like to come home on a furlough again. I would like to see you all verry much but when I come I want to stay. Parting is to hard. We have had a triel at it. I never felt worse than I did when I was home and had to leave again. I thought I wouldent show it but I had to some. It came hard to leave you and then going and biding my good old parents good buy. It came hard on me but I hope I can soone come home and stay. I wont write eney more to day so good buy. I send my love to you.
We have drawn one days ration of soft bread this weak. It was a great treat. The first since we left Aquia Creek. Buy mother and Matie and the baby and yourself each a nice dress. Tell Matie I sent it. What does Matie say about my letters. If I should write her a little one I want to send her something.
Sunday afternoone
Dear Charlotte
I received yours of the 2th to day. I was verry glad to hear from you and that little Matie is getting better but I guess you are about wore out taking care of the chiildren. You had better get a girl to help you until you get over the piles. You never have writen eneything about it before. Poor Matie has ben verry sick. If she is so poor how I would like to see her and you and our big boy. He must look funey he is so fat. He must be verry fleshey or he wouldent be so large. He must sufer with the heat if it is as warm there as it is here but I guess it is not. I think you done well seling butter. Could you have made as much if you had Eunis yet. I guess not. You have got them gloves. You sead you wanted to send me a dollar, You neadent do it. We look for the paymaster this weak. I dont want onely just money enough to buy writing metirels. You wonder how I got stamps. One of our boys wanted to buy some bread and wanted to pay in stamps and I had a little change and I bought the stamps. If I had to had some money when Travice went home I would sent for some stamps and envelps. I would reather put a stamp on a letter then you wont be bothered getting them. I shal use my last envelope to day. I am looking for that likeness but Matie is so poor now perhaps you dont want to have it taken yet. We are enjoying quiet camp life once more and I guess we will for some time to come. We have got to be reenforced before we fight much more. I hope we never will have to fight eney more. I hope the war will be honerably setteld with out eney more fighting for it is not a verry pleasent job. The armies of the south west are demorelized and meney dezerters. I must close for this time. My love to you all. Good buy dear Charlotte. Ciss the children for me.
Charles Engle to Charlotte E