Monday May 29th 1862

Dearest Parents I once
more take my pen in
hand to inform you of
my health it is very
good and I hope you are
the same. I suppose you want
to know where I am we are 14 
miles from Richmond and I 
heard that our folks are there
I hope so at least it is so long
since that I heard from you that
I am homesick why do you not
write to me mother O how I want
 to see you and all the rest
I have wrote to you for 3 or 4 times
and have not got any answer
from them. I have not time to
write as often as I should if I
had stamps it is impossible for to
get them here it is not very

Warm here yet today our regt
has gone out  on purpose for a 
fight yet I do not they will 
find any to fight for they are all nearly
[blacked?] out O this pen is so poor 
and the ink is so thick that
I can hardly write yet if you
only will write as good to me
I will be satisfied with it and
if you cant read this lay it
by until I come home
I guess it will not be long
at any rate it is so though
by us if you was here I guess
you would want to get
home againe we live on hard
bread and bacon it is
hard fare for me and all of 
the rest [illegible in original] if you know
of any news do write to me
for it is so dull for me
to stay here in the army

If I would get my discharge 
I should do it so quick it
would make you head swim
but I must stay here in this
poor country alone it is lonesome
here to day for it is so still
but I must close Frank do
write to me do for I want
to hear from you so bad
I must go to work for it
is now late in the afternoon
So of course you will excuse
me for this time and
except this from your son
in Christ

	A W Marsh