Brattleboro, Mar. 4, 1864
Dear wife,
I have let too long a time elapse without writing to you. I received a letter from Mary Ann last week. The reason that I did not write, I was expecting to go up to Burton to arrest a deserter Saturday. I was ordered to report to Captain Clark and get transportation and to take the five o’clock train and go to Burton. When I told Capt. Jenne that no train left for Burton until Monday morning there was a fix then. I was to go Monday. I told them fairly that I did not believe there was any deserter there, and finally they all came to the same conclusion, but of this you need say nothing, for he may be nabbed yet. I was to have a chance to go home if I went up. Should like to have caught the fellow, but hated to go up and come home without him. It will be no small job for one man to take him. He is a cool, desperate fellow.
I hope that the children are well. We have been mustered for pay last Monday, signed the pay roll yesterday and shall probably get it sometime between now and the first of April. I shall probably be able to send it all to you. I think I shall send it by express to Derby, as there is no express office nearer you that that it will be the quickest way for you to get it, to send it to the care of Ephraim. I have not been over to see Susan yet. I was intending to have gone over there last night with Mr. Green, but was on guard and on police tomorrow morning, so that I could not tonight. The police is a mere matter of form, as they do nothing now but report.
I expect that I have sold the watch that I had of Warren Twombley. I let one of the men that had no watch carry it. He is much pleased with it. It runs well. I shall have to wait sometime for my pay. The other watch I think I shall keep. I thikn that it is a better watch than I can buy for $20. The weather here is quite mild. There are no sugar orchards in the vicinity but some in the back towns have tapped. There has been some sugar brought into town. I shall write to Ephraim about letting one of those sugar places. I should like to let it to some honest man, more honest than any I know of, except Mr. Bodett in our old neighborhood. Kingsley would divide fair enough but he does not make good sugar. What a smash-up Gen. Seymour has met with in Florida. That was entirely unnecessary in my opinion. There is some good news stirring with regard to the Army of the Potomac, but it has not been confirmed yet. Hope it is true. I want the war finished up before I get ready to leave Brattleboro and then we will all go marching home. Won’t that be nice? How nice, you and I shall know and appreciate. I feel such an anxiety to hear from you since I was up home.
There is so much sickness all through the country. I dread to open every letter that I get from home, though I
would like to hear every day. I want to get you out of that house, for I do not like the idea of you living there. I was very glad to get a letter from Mary Ann. Shall write to her as soon as I go over to Hinsdale. She willl like to hear from that widower though. She probably hears more than I do. Jno. Better was on guard with me last
night. We have got some hard tickets in the guard house now as I ever saw. Had to visit the cell once every ½ hour last night. Have four men chained 2 & 2 and hand cuffed, and one hand cuffed and his feet chained together by a chain about a foot long and riveted to his ankles. The chain is the size of a large sized cable chain. They are hard ones, no mistake. I shall write again soon. Shall not wait a week, unless I write to M.A. I will not promise more than I think I can fulfill. You ned not count this a letter, for it is but ½.
Yours in love,
Charles.
