Brattleboro, Oct. 24th, 1863
Dear wife –
I received your most welcome letter last night, and night before last I received Mr. Martin’s letter. It is strange that letters are so much delayed on the way. I have not much time tonight, but I will improve the time I have in writing to you. I do not mean to let you get the start of me. I am on guard tomorrow. I shall come off Sunday morning at nine o’clock and shall then try and get a pass to go over and see Susan and Mary Ann. I had a letter from Mary Ann tonight. Susan’s youngest child is very sick with the dysentery. I will enclose Mary Ann’s letter and let her tell her own story. I guess that she is homesick, she felt very well when I was over there.
I am well, could eat more than I get, but perhaps, if I should have all I could eat, I should not feel as well. As I am now I have no head ache, no cold, and if I could only see you and the children every night, should enjoy myself first rate. Many of the boys complain of the guard duty and drill, but it is nothing to me, if I could only go through it right that is all the trouble I have, but it comes easier every day. The weather is very fine. You can tell Mr. Haselton that Montpelier is the place for him to go to, find out what he can do among the veterans. They are not coming here until the regiments are recruited, and perhaps they will not come at all, but Montpelier is the place. There has been two arrivals from the army here lately. There are several from the 10th Regt. Last Sunday I saw a hospital man his cap marked Company K, 10th Regt. I said “Company K, tenth Regt do you belong there” and he said “yes”. I knew him in an instant, old man Chaplin all over. Had quite a chat with him. He has ben here but a few days. He said that he came to our barracks to find someone from Charleston. I was on guard that day and did not see him. John B. Better is here. He and Jeb Jenne came over to see me today. They are at work in the hospital. They are both as fat as hogs. I must close, for I have to get my brass ready for inspection for guard duty. I am not half through. Shall write more. Monday I think we shall get the State pay, so good by for today. I think I shall try for a furlough before Spring. Accept the love of my warm heart. How it longs to embrace you. Good by again.
Your affectionate husband,
Charles
