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	Benton Baracks
		Dec. 8/61
	Dear Parents
		I take my
pen in hand a
	gain once more to
	write you a few
lines I have got pretty smart
again but I have ben quite
sick they tried to make me beli
eve that I had the mesleas
but I cant believe it but I
have got [tough?] againe but
thare is a good many of the
boys sick the most of them
[illegible marking] with cold quick is very sick
again with the chill feaver
The weather is very fine &
appears just like spring
the next after we we came 
in it snowed to the depth

of 6 inches which laide for
3 days colder than sam hill
then it turned round in [crossed out letter]
4 hours and thare was not
a flake of snow to be seen
but mud to etirnety you step
into it and it will [illegible] up
for inches around and stick to
your feet. Thare [illegible] sevral
regiments left this weak for
diferent parts of the State
thare is about 15 thousand
men here now and we can
See
^ another camp off to the south
west about as large as this one 
Camp [illegible] which is mostly
all Cavalry thare is several
regiments of cavalry here
and a splendid battery of artillery
The sabers and saddles of the 
second regiment have been
condemned and are being
sent back and they are
receiving others . four hundred
and fifty of our horses
arrived to day looking
rather hard after their
ride, We have had another
election and John Acker
son has ben elected [two letters illegible] corp
oral thare has ben no other
change [crossed out letter]made,  We are all
living well plenty of every
thing accept butter you
can immagin how I can
get along withought it but
we have got to come to it
Write as soon as you receive
this and Direct to Benton
Barracks St. Lous Mo Co I
3rd Mich Cavalry Give my love
to all Harrison Traphagen