[Alvah’s writing]
	Falmouth Feb 27
	Dear Brother
[letter torn] take the time
to write to you to
let you know how
I am I am well at
present and hope
you are the same
place that I used 
to be I went [over?]
to your old camp
the next day after
you was gone
O how lonesome
I was but frank
you will
not expect much

[Benjamin F. Marsh’s writing appears around edges, transcribed in Scan 2 transcript]

	[Alvah’s writing]

from me this time
I got a letter from
home to day they are
all well to day
I have been drawing
wood for the regiment
But it is getting
late so I will
close for this time
write soon
	From your
      Brother Al Marsh

[Benjamin’s writing, underneath his own and Alvah’s]

Newport News March 4th-/63
Dear Brother I recd your
lengthy letter to day and hasten
to answer it I am glad to hear
you are well it found me the same
I hope you will do better next time.
I remain your Brother B.F.M.

	[End]

[Written across top of Scan 1 and Scan 2 by Benjamin]

Look Al This now what a big letter this is to 
send to any one you are a pretty
fellow to write letters do you write
such ones when you write to your Girl

	[End]

[Written sideways on right side of Scan 2 by Benjamin]


if you do      if I wer in her place
you might do
all the writing
for [all?] 
Me

[End]

[Written by Benjamin just underneath Alvah’s writing]

I haven’t written half as
much as I want to
but I guess it will take
you a week to read this
so Good Bye

[End]

[Written diagonally across Scan 2 and Scan 1 by Benjamin]

this is a poor letter but you
must be thankfull for small
favors and do better by me
I want to tell the boys in
the Old, 7th I want some of them
to write to me. I heard from
Ed. [Bruelley?] he wrote a letter to

[End]

[Written upside down on bottom and left side of Scan 1]

                mate
D C Spaulding my tent^
I
dont
know
as
you
can
read
this 
better
but
you
can
[studdy?]
[on?]
[letter torn]
until
I see you
again
now write
soon and
often and
remember and write
a good long one

	[End]

[Written by Benjamin sideways on left side of Scan 2 and right side of Scan 1]

this is not because
I am hard up for paper
but it is because I thought
thare was plenty of room

	[End]

[Written upside down in middle of Scan 1 by Benjamin]

for as long a letter as you 
wrote me

	[End]

[Written by Benjamin upside down on top of Scan 1 just above Alvah’s writing]

then I will do better

	[End]

Newport News March 4th

Dear Brother I have
just recivd this short line from
you I was happy to hear you wer
well and glad to say it found
me as tough as a buck
I never enjoyed better health
I think we have come to 
a very pleasant place we had
a nice time coming here
and now we have a pretty little
time drilling we only drill
26 hours in 24 so you see we
have lots of time to play ball
and write letters [etc etc etc?]
I expect every minute the bugal
will blow for us again we have
just come off from drill we
have drawed new A tents since
we came here so we have splendid
quarters now.

[Written upside down on bottom of Scan 3]

how are the [Tuscola?] Girls getting along

	[End]

[Written upside down on top of Scan 4]

[Brush?] Fenton has come back to
our co again     B F. M

	[End]

And as for letters I have faired
pretty well since I came here the
first night for instance I recd 
six letters and two papers
and since that I have had about
three a week I have had [paper torn]
Mary Jacobson, not long [paper torn]
she wrote a very good letter
she said she had written to
you last and was waiting
very anxiously for one from
you I have not answered hers
yet I dont know how I shall
do all my writing but I guess
I will set it to work as I have to
drill all the time. Oh how I wanted
to see you before we left our old
camp but I could not come to
see you and I kept thinking
you might come over to see
me again but now the bugal

[Written sideways on right side of Scan 4]

is blowing and I must go out on dri[ll?] [paper torn] again so good bye

	[End]