Lexington Feb 14the. 1863 
[illegible] 
    Dear Brother & Sister 
  again I Seat myself for the 
purpose of communicating to you 
by way of the pen. I am glad we have 
the privelige of writing to each other, but 
it would be a great privelige [illegible] we talk 
       will 
face to face. but we ^ get along with the pen 
for a while yet. I read your letters 
3 or 4 days ago & was glad to hear from you 
& to hear that you enjoy good health for I 
find that health is a great blessing 
& I should be thankful that I am priveliged 
with good health. while others are sick 
I am in Lexington & have been for the past 
Week I am here guarding Prisoners 
in Jail number 4 there is about 40 
in the jail Some Rebels & some Deserters 
from 
^ our Army I was up to camp yesterday 
to see the boys & to get the Mail 
I found them as well as they was when 
I left except Ralph he is not well
but I hope he will Soon be well 
again. I am Sory to see the boys get Sick 
           e 
but we cannot all [illegible] to ke^p well 
this is a very pleasent Charming the 
Sun Shines very bright. & all nature 
looks Beautiful & gay I have not 
been out in the City this morning 
I have been quite buisy as writing 
we room in an upper room in one 
of the large Houses of Lexington 
it is in a kind of a back room 
that is away from the road. [crossed out] [was up] 
I believe there is lots of Rebels in 
this City. any how it is a pretty 
hard place a great deal of Drunkenness 
going on there is about as much 
Whisky drank as any thing else 
it is nothing uncommon for them to 
ask a fellow if he want drink with 
them there is an old Man that 
[illegible] in this room that gets tight 
most every day. last night after 
Kin Shepardson & me got to bed the 
old man Sat there telling 
   great Stories of what he had 
Seen. & what he knew when [crossed out] [Ken] he 
got through Kin told him it was 
     get up 
his treat. he said all right [crossed out] [he said] 
and go down to the Grosery & he would 
treat. I asked him if he would treat 
the [illegible] he said yes. I told him 
we guessed we would wait till morning 
he said no we had got to go now any 
way. & he got up & Started we lay there 
he came back took hold of the [crossed out] [close] 
clothse jerked them of from us 
but we did not go nor get up. this morning 
he is all right. 
what do you think of that Soldier picture 
I thought you would not know me if 
I was gone 5 or 6 months So I dont 
think the Picture does you much 
good if you dont know it. perhaps 
it does not look natural I am shure 
I dont know. I thought Seeing they wanted 
it I would you a kind of a [illegible]
you heard that A. [illegible]. was 
bad off I have not See him for 
Some time he was quite bad off. but 
I guess the Story growed some on the 
way. he may be homesick Some 
but I dont want to judge him for 
if I was Sick I Should not want 
to be judged in Such a way. I dont think 
he beged any body to Shoot him. 
but there was a certain person that 
threatened Shooting him I guess that 
is all there is about that 
I think you hear rather hard news 
about. Cap. Hill. he was not liked by 
any of us. as well as we expected we would 
but for all that he is a fine man 
but there is not much Military 
about him. I guess I will go to Camp  
this afternoon & see the boys 
I have got a bad Cough & Some [illegible] 
I will take a little medicine & then I 
guess I will be all right again 
it rains a little this afternon the 
weather is quite changeable nowadays 
I must close write Soon good bye 
Wm & Malvina .. Albert A.W. Barber 
Monday morning I am Still on guard 
at the Prison my cold is better