No 3rd Camp Kellogg Grand Rapids Oct 2, 1862 Brother Nell, After using half my sheet to get the date on I am now ready to set out. I am well as usual together with the rest of the boys and it is our united wish that this may find you the same. Your letter was received last night just after we came from supper, and I guess it did'nt take me long to read its contents. I am glad that you are getting along so well with the work and were I not engaged in the service of the country I would wish to be with you and help you. How I wish you were here just a little while to see how we live, eat, sleep and write. Just imagine yourself in a field of perhaps 60 acres inclosed on the east and south sides by a board fence, and on the other sides only by rows of men sta tioned about four rods apart each one having a narrow path of that length to travel over and keep everyone back from either side. There are also sentries stationed along the fences. In this inclo sure on the southern side you would see a row of barracks yof perhaps something more than a hundred feet in length one or two company kitchens with their long tables, the guard house, and two ambrotypes offices. on the west side of of the parade ground the quartermaster and com missary buildings the Colonel's and Adjutants tents, and at the present moment you would see a hundred and eight men with the band on parade, these men are the sentinels detailed to take the places of those who have been on guard since this time yes terday morning. These men are divided into three squads or re al liefs of 36 men and one corpor each, with a sergeant and a commissioned officer as of ficer of the guard. The sentries are releived every two hours and then have two four hours to rest in before coming on again so that each man stands guard 8 hours all of the 24 and then have nothing to do during the next twenty four but they are obliged to do police duty, {that is sweeping up the camp} on the next day. After seeing all this you might cast your eyes toward the center of the camp where you would see eight rows of tents some of them looking like an Indian wig wam, and others like a small square house, then back of them more “Kitchens”. On the north side you would see another row of barracks about a hundred feet in length with men work ing on more a little to the west of them. No 3d If you felt disposed to do so you might enter the south door at the west end of these barracks, and after looking around a little if you would walk to the lower end of the room and looking directly over your head you would see Ed seated on the edge of the upper bunk with his feet hanging over between two studs and a little board fastened between them writing home. You would say it was a hard looking place for a gentleman and so it may be but I feel as though I were doing my duty better than where I was three weeks ago to day. Six of us, Newt, Al, Will, Harve, John Hamilton and I sleep in a little crib about six and a half feet by ten, with plenty of straw and eight good blankets and quilts for a bed. It is not quite so soft as Mothers feather, yet I sleep as soundly as ever I did at home, am getting so that I don't have the “fidgets” as much as I used to. We have 55 men in our com pany at the present time and expecting more soon, Henry Clark and John Shearer have not arrived yet. There are not far from 1600 men on the ground, At dress parade last night there were probably not more than 3/5 of them out yet they made a string about a quarter of a mile in a length. It looks pretty nice to see them all in one line, but it is not so easy to be one in the line. Our Colonel is getting very strict in his discipline, and is drawing down the wrath of a good many on his head. He will not allow but one man from each company to visit the city each day, and he must have business for the company It makes some of the town rowdies and loafers swear some but it does them no good. I am out of letter paper and stamps. But I shall not grumble yet awhile. I have been into town three times since I came here and feel no disposition to find fault. Our Captain says that if we are not mustered in this week he will give us furloughs to go home next week. I do not know how we will get home for our funds are rather low. But if I get a furlough I shall go home if I walk to Kalamazoo, As I beleive I can do that in one day and get home the next. I have money enough to pay my fare from there home. But you neednt look for us next week. Nell here is the last bit of paper I have got and I must begin to “halt.” I guess you will think I have written everything that there is to write, But I have not told you anything about the town and the girls yet. I shall not say much about them this time as I have not spoken to but one since I left Niles. But there are some as neat ones here as I ever saw. [a?] We are allowed to go to Church on sunday in squads I did not go last Sunday as I was on duty all day and night. Now Nell tell Mother that she must not borrow any trouble about me, for I do not need anything to make me any more comfortable and that I do not think she can send me anything I like our captain and think I shall stay with him as long as he sticks to the company Give my compliments to all the friends and tell them that I like read and write letters better than almost any one else, and that no one ever yet wrote me one without receiving an answer. Keep up good courage, stay at home and see that everything goes right for ourfolks as far as lies if your power to make it Pitch in and make everything as lively as possible and do not try to miss me too much. I can not tell how soon to think this war will close and do not want a it to until I have ^ chance to give one shot and strike one blow to end it. Please write again soon Your Brother Edwin R Havens [Written in left margin: “Parson Brownlow will speak here next Tuesday and I want to hear him”]