Camp Kellogg
	             Grand Rapids Nov. 20/62

Brother Nell
	        I received your most welcome
letter this morning and now lay down to an
swer it. I have been anxiously waiting for
it all this week and began to fear that
there was something wrong about it.
       I am usually well, as are all of the boys
from our way. We are doing very well but
I must say that we are living pretty hard
at present. But we hope that there will be
a change for the better soon, as we are going
to cook for ourselves, I think next week.
	The talk about our going to Detroit is
“played out” and we are now calculating to stay
in Camp Kellogg this winter.
        Col. Mann went down to Detroit last
week and is expected back in a day or two
For the present Capt. Walker is commandant
of the camp, which is not much as our
company represents the 7th regt. at present

	We drill every day nearly, But this
afternoon we are to have no drill instead of which
we are going to help make a road to haul lumber
over to make our new barracks of. The new
barracks are to be built about 20 rods north
of our present ones to extend 360 feet east and
west across the ground but I do not know the
plan on which they are to be built.
	Our present ones are quite comfortable 
in warm weather but I am afraid that
they will be most too much so for real biting
cold weather.
	Last Monday evening our Captain took
the entire regiment consisting of about 35 men
to the theater, which although the first time
many of us had ever attended it was not very
entertaining to me at least.
	Tuesday morning we went down to the
railroad and unloaded several car loads of horse
equipment consisting of saddles and bridles.
besides the guns, carriages and ammunition
wagons for two guns together with more than
a ton of shot Shell cartridges three kegs of

	powder and one box of sabres.
The guns belong to the battery to be attached
to our regiment and are of steel three inch bore
and rifled. They have not yet been mounted
and we have not seen the guns, but I sl
should judge by the boxes that they were about
nine feet long, and weigh [950?] lbs. apiece.
      The 6th regt. has been drilling on horseback this
week and are doing very well. They begin to
think a little more of “the ten cent regiment”
than they used to. They hope to leave here
soon and I hope they will.
	I should like to be at home and
visit with our visitors, but must postpone
it until the future. Give them my
best respects and tell them that I wish
they had come a few days earlier.
	I hope that Isom will give up
the notion of going to war for I do not
fancy the appearance of Capt. Miller myself,
and besides I think his proper place is
at home.

          I received two letters from [A D?] Carlisle
the other day one from Keokuk Iowa, the
other from Buchanan.
        Tell George Lee that I have no forgot
ten him, but will write him soon.
    He need not be afraid to write us I
shall not be home again very soon.
        I may send for my fiddle bye and bye
after we get settled, and I wish you
could come with it.
	I can not imagine what that fellow
meant by saying we had been set up a 
little, for we remain as we were with
the exception of one private being pro
moted to 8th corporal.
	But I will now stop as you
must be weary. Give my best respects
to all of the friends, and my love to our
folks and visitors, and write soon.
	Your Brother
		  Edwin R. Havens