Feb the 15 /63
Dear Charlotte
I once more take the opportunity to write a fiew lines to you to let you know that I am well and that I received your letter yesterday and was verry glad to hear from you and that you are useally well. One of your letters I found dated the 5 and the other the 8. It rains here to day. I got excused from duty to day on acount of my poore boots but I shal have to go tomorrow and chop. I shal have to chop for ten day. We are choping down all the woods about here. They are fortifing this landing. They have started three fourts and they chop down the woods so as to have a good sight and nothing to stop the balls. I am verry lonely this morning. I want to see you verry much. I wish I could get a furlow but I cant get one. I feele bad about Rast. I was in hopes that he would be with us again but I dont think he will. I think he will get his discharge if he lives. I was afraid it would go hard with him. He would had to went with us if I hadent went and seene the doctor the morning they left. The Dr thought he would be abel to ride in an ambulance and go with us but I told him he was no hand to complain and I dident think he would stand it. The Dr would come once a day and stick his head in the tent and ask him how he was and give some powders and pills. If he had done as Burge did complained he would be home by this time. If he had come with us he would ben ded long ago but I hope he will get along soone. Your folks feele uneasy about Billy. I think he is alive and is agoing to get his discharge. I told you in my last letter he was going to get it. His discriptive list was sent him from here and they sead he was awaiting his discharge. I guess he is all right and you will see him soone. George Burdge was lucey to get home so soone. He may as well be there as here. He made reather a poore soildier. You sed he told you I was fat. I am fat and tough as a bear can stand eneything that eney man can. I weigh 182. You sead you was afraid I couldent stand it when warme weather comes. I dont know how it will be but the old soildiers say if a man can stand a winter campaign they can stand a sumer campaign. If I ceepe my health I think I can stand it. I do all I can to save it. My boots are verry poore. I have wet feet. One of the boots lets my toes all out but I hope I shal have a better pair one of these days. You have had bad luck again with the box. I am verry sorry you couldent send it. I wish I hadent wrote for it. I wouldent if I hadent wanted the boots but I wish I had drawn a pair of shoes and not sent for the boots. I would like them mince pies and fried cakes to day. I feele gust like eating some this rainy day. On another sheet.
My goomes are sore way back of my teeth and they swell. I think my wisdom teeth are coming. I will let you know in my next.
I thank you for them stamps. I had none. I lost three. They got stuck together.
You must buy you and Matie each a dress out of that money.