Camp big Chestnut  Dec the 10 /61

I now sit down to answer your letter which
I received last night I was verry glad to hear
from you and hear [crossed out] [fro] that you was
well and enjoying your self so well. Em
you send that you was a going to take
a sleigh ride last Sunday morning I wish
that I had been thare so that I could have
a sleigh ride to but I expect that it will
be a good while before [crossed out] [your] I shall have
the chance to have one it is verry fine
weather hear now thare hant been any snow
here yet and not verry cold thare hant
been any fighting done around here in some
time and I guess that thare wont be in some

for our men has got them Serunded and
they cant get out any way that they can 
fix it. I dont think the war will last
  long I hope it wont fore I should like
  to come home but I can stay as long as the
rebels can [illegible] although war is a hard thing
and Soldiers dont have so good fair but a
soldiers life just agrees with me I weigh
lessn 10 pounds more now than I ever did I in my
 life I have got to go and get the cook some wood
and then I will finish I have got some wood and
I wil write a little more we have our wood all to
being [several illegible words crossed out] Em I wish
you could see my little cloth [house?] and
see what a nice little fire place I have got
I have dug down into the ground and laid up
some logs and set my tent on that and then
I made me a little fire place and made me
a [illegible] bedstead out of pine poles and now I
have got quite a nice little parlor
I have got to go on [crossed out] [po] police duty and shant
have time to finish until this after noon

  Emeline I most forgot to tell you that today
was my birthday I am eighteen years old to day
I should like to out thare and spend my
birthday put I shall have to spend it hear
a drilling and at work I had a letter
from from china last night  the folks
are all well as [two words illegible] out thare I have got
three cousins in the army but none of them in our
regiment I wish that they would come
hear and join our company. Almost every
young man around China and Eagle whare
I live has enlisted any gone to the war
I got a letter from [crossed out] [ondof] one of my
cousins that goes go School She said that
it was a lonesome time out thare they [illegible]
I cant think of much more to write tell
Willard thas I send my best respects to
him and would like to see him veery much
tell the schoolmon that I send my respects
to her tell her to keep the girls and boys
out of mischief & this is [crossed out] [the] a cloudy morning
and I guess that is is a going to rain

Em tell uncle and aunt that I send my
love to them tell uncle Nelson that I
can remember when he was down to York state

      this is all that I can think of this time
    So good by

   This from your cousin e George
	                          to Em



	George W Daggett
	Emeline Daggett

      Write soon as you get this
	          Good by E Em