Philadelphia, May 9, 1864.
Dearest wife,-
You see I am here yet. I wrote to you on leaving Brattleboro April 25th and again on reaching this place, but have heard nothing in answer to them. I have received one letter from you directed to Brattleboro and forwarded to me here. I thought that I would write to you again from here now, for if you have not received my letters and have heard that our boys at Brattleboro have been ordered to the front, they stopped in this place the night of May 3rd. I did not know of it until they had gone on. All my luggage is in Brattleboro, except that clothes I took with me here.
The order came unexpectedly for front, as unexpectedly as my furlough to come on here. You see I cannot get to the front, for certainly if I had known that the boys had been ordered to the front, I should have gone with them, rather than to have come here. I am well. I have but little time to write as it is almost time, but after seeing the morning paper and thinking that you must be hearing the news and perhaps hear that we were sent to the front, and had heard nothing from me since I wrote you from Brattleboro, you must feel very anxious, but I am in no danger now. I almost think there is a Providence over me, for sure I do not direct my steps, for I did not think of leaving B. until a few hours before starting. I shall write you a longer letter tonight or in the morning. Do write me immediately. I am in a fever of anxiety to hear from Zopher. I wrote to him before I left B. but he does not know I am here. You will hear from him soon. I hope there is no list of killed or wounded yet in the city. I must close abruptly. You will excuse me, as I must go to recite and am not prepared. Can scarcely write. News from the front is coming in nearly every hour.
I belong to the 6th Regt. now, but am in Philadelphia. Can remain here until the 25th. Write immediately. Oh! Could we but clasp each other in a fond embrace and know that Zopher is safe. As well to hope the best. I do not think that I shall ever be in battle, for I begin to believe that I could not get there if I tried. The weather here is hot. Think of the wounded on the field of battle. I feel more sad after a victory than defeat, for after defeat I am always full of fight, after victory the thought of the wounded and the homes made desolate by the killed, but again, I must stop. Say nothing of my being in Philadelphia out of the family. Keep it still, for there is another examination in Washington.
Yours, my own truly beloved
Charles.
What is the grammar
you know the meaning.
