good evening mother and father at home I am in [from?] a waggon at Harpers Ferry Bolivar Heights Winsday October 15th 1862 Dear Mother I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and hope you are the same. I received two papers from you the other day and perused their Contents with pleasure I am in the best of health I am cooking for 7 men so you may judge how hard I have to work it is fine weather here yet I think it is the finest fall weather I ever saw no frost year it is like the place in [Fork?] state where unkel [Buttes?] used to live high mountains all around Oh this war if you knew how sick I am of it you would not want me to ever say any thing about it but it is of no use to say one word about it but lik old [Jim?] who got caught in the trap grin and bear the worst of it and I say if I ever get out of it you don’t catch me again Mother it is [mos?] 4 months since I have had one cent of pay and I only saved six dollars so I am out of money some time ago but I shall send you twenty more next pay day and I want you to send me five dollars for to buy some boots with and some soft-bread with you may send me one dollar in stamps to you must send united state mony with all of the bad bills you have got anything no matter how poor for it will all go for something to eat all that I want is to get home as soon as I can the longer I stay the [illegible] I get I cant think of any thing to write of interest I heard from Frank the other day I heard that he was a nurse in the Hospital so he is on extra duty off the field of battle I do not think that your boys are in very great danger of Sesesh Bullets do you you must keep up good spirits for your boys are none of the men who shirt shirk around Home I would if I could I wrote a letter to Mary Jacobson the other day I do not know as she will answer it if she don’t I wont write to her again tell her so why you see her for me tell sarah I want her to send me her letters she got from Mina Hopkins for I want to see if I have not hard from them in some time now send me that money as soon as you can for I want it bad tell me where to write to Eddy for I do not know But I must close for it is late write soon from your dutiful son A H Marsh [illegible] of Co. [E?] 7th Michigan [illegible]