Camp of the 44th N.Y.Vol
  		Alexandria va
     Friday April 22nd 1864

	Dear Mother
	     Your kind and
interesting letter of the 13th
inst came to home this A M
and found me enjoying good
health and I trust this will 
find you well and doing well
     We have been paid 2 months
pay and I will include $10'00 
which if you do not want
to use I would like to have
put out at interest due on demand
so that I can have it if I
should be permitted to return home
I intend to resume my
trade and I shall need some
ready money to buy tools with etc

I intended to have sent $15'00
this pay day but have been
having some photographs taken
which cost me 15 $2'00 and
have bought a Co record of our
co -- rather foolish investments -- 
so I shall send only $10'00, the
Co record cost $1'50 and I have
drawn a discription of each man
from the Co books with the place
of residence so it will be handy
for future reference, you are at
liberty to examine it after which
please put it where it will be safe
and when I get home I will make
a frame for it. there was quite
an accident up the Rail Road yesterday
the passenger train ran off the track
and smashed up some of the cars
but no one dangerously injured.
we have been very lucky as far
as accidents are conserned since

    we have been here. we have'nt
had a man killed in the whole time
while other Regts doing like duty
have lost quite a number. the
road is in much better condition 
than it was in the fall and fore part
of winter. there are som 250 men
working on it all the time
     I expect there will be a movement
of the Army soon they have been
sending the sick to Hospitals which
is a pretty sure sign of moveing
Our forces in the South West have
been having quite a brush lately, the
report is that the rebs pitched onto
the 13th Corps and gave them a
pretty good drubbing the fight lasting
nearly half a day. the 19th Corps came
up the next morning and served
them worse than they did us
we do not know the particulars yet
but will probably get them to-morrow

     I can think of no more
to write this time, Love to all
        Write Soon
		     Yours as ever
		      J H Wheeler