Camp Rucker Oct the 24th/61 
	Dear Mother & Brother
	and Sisters I now
	take this opertunity 
	to let you know
	how I am getting
	a long I am well
	and harty as a
buck I never enjoyed better
health in my life I am a
ganing every day and in good
spirits and I hope these
few lines will find you the
same mother I supose that
you are some what ancious 
about your son bill for
you know by this time that
I have gon to fite for my
countries rights but you must
keep up good courage for I
shal be with you all agan 
if nothing hapens I am in
the scitty of Washington 

Now we are encamped one half
a mild from the great capitol 
of our country I have seen
a great many things scence
I left Detroit and I am
not sorry that I have 
enlisted I supose that
you are very ancious a bout
Me but Dear mother don’t
morn for me nor borrow truble 
on my a count for I shall
take care of my self and will
try to do my duty cherfuly and
willingley I never have ben in
the gard hous nor on fatig yet
beacus I am always redy and
on willingley and always on
hand kiss the children all
for me kiss Citty for me
and tell her to be a good
girl and when her Uncle
Bill comes home he will
fetch her sompthing nice

tell Almon to keep his
nose clean and be a good
Boy give my love to all
of the folks and tell miss
Pinkney that I send her
my Best Love and I would
like to have her write to
me and mother tell Eliza
and Hannah to be shure 
and write to me Uriah 
you must be shure and
write to me to and if
you can get word to James
tell him to write to I
must stop now for to go
and drill [now?] I have just
got of drill and so I will
finish this letter you must
all write for it does me so 
much good to get a letter
I dont care who it is I am
glad to hear from eny one
tell James Wilder to write

to me for he will have
more time to write than
I can but I will try and
answer all the letters
that I get I dont care
who writes I must
close now By saying good
		        	       r
By write soon this from you^
Son Wm S Arnold to his
Dear and afectionete Mother
Direct your letters to
William S Arnold first
Mich Cavelry, Company B,
		Washington, D, C 


My Love to
Every body that
enqures about me
Good By write
soon and often