Camp Alexander Washington DC
                                                                Jan 17 1862
Dear Sister Kate
You must excuse me for
not writing to you before for I Have
not been in one place long enough at
a time to write a letter and I have
almost forgoten how to commence one
I came to N. York after I left Mich and
was engaged in an Engineer regiment as
a wagon Drive and started soon after to
the seat of war and have been ever
since following the army through Virginia
repairing the bridges and building forts
and now & then have had a little
sight at the rebels we have a regiment
of 9 Hundred & 80 men and their has
been but four Death in the Regiment since
we started which was caused by Disease
not a man has been shot yet we have
been in the service seven month and
I have fired but one gun of yet so you
see I have not much fighting to do
we will brobley stay here till Spring
now for their is no fighting going
on in this part - now and we will
make this our head quarters till
spring You must write to me


and let me know how all the
folkes are out in Michigan and tell
them you have one brother fighting
for his country if you can Call it
fighting write to me and let me
know when you have heard from
Deb and the rest of the folks in
Missoura and how Solomon Cogswell s
Jeramiah s folks are and if Mamma
is out their and if she will write
to me where she is It is so long
since I wrote a letter that I cant
think of half that I want to
write to you so I will close this
Letter by sending my Love & Good
will to all Enquireing friends and
as I cant call them all by name
tell them they must all write to me
so I can return them the compliment
                        Ever Your Brother
                                James Hardenbergh


P.S. as the man has come with
my stereotype plates I will send one
to you in this letter.

Direct your letter to James
Hardenbergh Co H 15th Regm
NY State Engineers. Camp Alexander
                                 Washington
                                 Jim Hardenbergh 

               Write as soon as you can

P.S. I forgot to send my love to
Thomas & the children Pleas remember
me to them & the Schoolman
                                         J.H.