How Are You Draft

[End]

	U.S. Sanitary Commission [stamped]

[penciled in at later date] [1863] [this date is incorrect, the letter is from 1864]
     	      Hd. Qrs 8th Mich. [V.V.I.?]
      or rather the 8th Mich [Pipes?] Maker
		Before Petersburg VA
				Aug 15th
	
	Dear Mother & Sister
		I am happy to inform
you that this beautifull. morning
finds me in good health. and as I
Might Say (Sat up in [Buisness]
for I am not with my Company
    Dr [Fox?] sent to the Co for me
last Friday to come to Div Hospital
and I went up on Saturday.
and am now at work making
Clay Pipes for Dr. [crossed out] [OCol] O.Connell
the Div Surgeon. they want me 
to make up a lot of them. of the
Clay out of the mine whare we
Blew up the Johnie Fort.

so as to be [illegible]

[End]

I am in Big Buisness. it takes
me about one day to make one
Pipe. but I get $.100 for each one
or $1.50 so I think it will pay
very well. for I am off all hard
Duty and out of danger whare
I can get good care and good
rations. I recd Yours of Aug 5th
a few days ago was very glad to
hear from Home again you said
I had not mentioned of receiving
Your last letters but I think I
have got them all. I recd the
one with the 25cts & postage stamp
I think I got them all
   Our Regt was Relieved last
night for the first time since
we came to Petersburg the Boys
feel pretty well over it. thare is
great excitement here about the
Regt the report is that we are
not a Veteran Vol. Regt as our

I believe the Fenton Boys are all

[End]

    Muster is not Legal and
I say Bulley Boys of the 8th Mich
for it will be some better for us
[line?] Years Boys I think. but the
time will soon come when
we will know how it all is
the 23rd of Sept will tell th
tale for us. they are paying
off all the troops around here
but I dont see any signs of
our getting our Pay. and if the
Regt is Mustered out in Sept 
we will not get Pay until then
but if Dr. keeps me at work
at the Pipe Buisness I dont want –
my pay if you can get along at
Home and I guess Alvah will
fix things up all right when
he get Home by what he wrote
to me.
	I was very glad to know
that you wer getting along as



[Written upside down on top of Scan 4]

I am in very good health

[End]

well at Home as you are
I understand [Rube Tery?] [has?]
gone to Tenesee on that Job
I hope he will be well also his
family whilst he is gone,
Well Mother You must excuse
a short letter this time as Pipe
Making is the business of the day
I am going to try to make one to
send Home as a specimen
but cant tell how I will
succeed Give my Love to
Sarah tell Her to be a good girl
I will write to her soon
You will Please write often
and excuse [two words illegible]
and lack of Witts. I have
scratched this off in Haste
as you will see at a glance
But it contains much interest
for the Dear Ones at Home and
my Best wishes for their welfare
    also a speedy Close of this
Cruel War. Yours Affectionately
Your Son    B.F. Marsh
Mrs. H.V. Holmes