Camp Kempers Ford, Va
Sept the 1 /63
Dear Charlotte
I once more seit myself to write a fiew lines to you to let you know that I am well and much hope you all are. I looked for a letter Sadurday but it dident come and hasent come yet. I am anxious to get a letter to know if you got your money or not. Jim Webster has heard from his and his wife wrote after she was to see you. Colonel Ireland was maired last Wensday. I heard of it Sadurday. I was on picket three days last weak. We exchanged papers with the rebs Wensday morning. It rained Wensday afternoone and knight. It was a cold rain and the knights have ben cold since. You may think I am foolish speaking of cold weather this time a year but we feele the cold more laying on the ground and when on picket without tents. I had a tooth bucled(?) Sunday. It bothered me so I thought I would have it jurked out. It was a sound tooth when I left home but soldiering is hard on our teeth. I have got one or two more I wish was out. We had some orders read to us last knight on dress peraide stating that there would be a rapid move before long. It sead we shouldent carey but two days rations at once unless we got to where there was to much danguer where the wagons dident dare to go then we would have to take 9 and 12 days rations. It gives us the privalage of forgeing all we can get meat flower greens corne and every thing we want that we can get. I guess there will be a forward movement. I heard last knight the rebs was trying to flank us on our left but I guess that haint so. The armies of the south west are moveing. I hope they will have good luck. Old Sumter is ruined and it wont be long when Charleston will burne. Jef Davis has called for half a million of their slaves. He gives them their freedom and 50 ackers of land at the close of the war. That is just what we want. I think the more of them he armes the better it is for us. What wont they do next. They are freing the slaves themselves. Let them work. Our goverment is a strong one and it will bring them to time and before long to. Still it may have a long tail but we musent alwais put the dark side out. We was musterd for pay again yesterday. I bought a paper Sunday. I will send it to you. It has got some speaches in it. One from Generel Mead and Govern Curtin and others. I wish Govener Seymore was as good a man as Curtin but he haint. Hiram Gray in our Co was discharged last weak. He was deaf. He has got home. Some of his neighbors have wrote back here that he is about over his deafness alreadey. He is a great big stout fellow. He played smart. Dear Charlotte the cold winter is coming on and that house is cold and there is not much prospect of my coming home this fall. I think the best thing you can do is to hire your board somewhere for a fiew months while it is so cold. It will be less troubel for you. You can leave the most of things there. I think it will be about as cheap as you have got to buy most every thing. I wish the war would end and we all be discharged so I could come home and live with you this winter. I want to see you and the children so bad I can hardley stand it. I cant send this until tomorrow so I wont seal it untill after the mail comes in and see if I dont get a letter. Dear Charlotte the mail has come and my letter to. I am glad you are all well and that you got the money. I am well and getting fat again. This climate agrees with me. I alwais thought it would. Mr Underwood wanted to know about John Howerd. There is a John Howerd in Co E. He is out on picket. I have just ben to the Co. They say he is from Shenago County. His fathers name is Isac. He is a little fellow. When I see him I will find out all about it. I must take another sheet.