Camp of the 137th Regt NY
Kempers Ford VA
August the 15 /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. I received yours of the eleventh last knight. It came through quick. It had some verry good news and some not verry good. I am glad Matie is better but you haint well. You ought to doctor and get read of your cold. You say you are hoarce and phthisic. You must take care of your self. I am sorry for Billy. It is a hard thing to have fitzs. You thought it looked hard to see his neck cuped. I suppose it did look hard to you. When Mory had fitzs the doctor cuped his neck and sholders. If you could witness a battle you wouldent think eneything about that. I am writing with the pen I got last knight. It is a good one. The other one was not verry good. You sent me 25-cents and told me to get a pye. I can put it to better use than to buy those Virginia pyes. The Virginia ladies cant make good pyes nor eney thing else. I will buy some envelps. We got our pay yesterday. I will send the check and ten dollars in this letter. I will ceepe two dollars. I want to send to Washington and get some postage stamps. I have ben to the ford three days this weak. I was relived this morning. We had a mounted ordley there every knight. We expected an atact and he was there to let the troops back know it. Dear Charlotte we have got marching orders again. The orders came about an hour ago. We take three days rations. I cant tell where we are going. I dont mouch think it will be a forward movement. There is no peace for us. I dont think we will cross the river. I some think we will go to Aquia Creek or near Elexzandra. We have ben here two weaks but we haint had much chance to rest. We had a good deal of picet duty to do and we have built quite a long string of breastworks and what fiew there was left in camp had to drill. Soldiers haint got eney feelings. You and Wm talk(?) of trading. I dont know what his watch is or what it is worth. I think the bugey orte to be worth $35. If you want to trade you may if he has got a good time peace and dont ask to much for it. If I had it here I could get a good prise for it. You had better sell Jack if he is getting the heaves but he must bring at least $75. You must try and get someone to build a yard for your pig. If it has got to stay in that small pen you can never fat it. I wish I could be home to do some of that work. If you have good luck and get this money you had better pay the interest. You had better get someone to take you to Bartons and let him see to it. I suppose it will be not far from $30. I wish you could sell the plase. We expect to march tomorrow morning. It is warm. I hope we wont go a great wais but we cant tell where. You musent feele uneasy about me if you dont get a letter every weak. Perhaps I wont have a chance to send a letter next weak. James Webster has had bad luck. He spilt a cup of hot coffe in one of his shoes and it burned his foot verry bad so he cant get about. I sent for some ink and envelps. I got the ink but couldent get the envelps. When you write again I wish you would put in an envelp with a stamp on. If we march I dont think I will have a chanse to get eney verry soone. I shal have to borrow one to send this in. You dident get Maties paper. I sent it when I sent the letter. I put it in an envelp and wrote soldiers letter on it. I am sorry you dident get it. I shal have to close for this time. Write often. I send my love to you. I would like to see you and the children. Good buy Charlotte.
Charles Engle