Home .sweet. Home	Jan 13 -/63
				V.a.
		Camp Near Fredericksburgh
			Jan 13” /63

[Written on top Scan 1]

Mother I am going to send
you a ring of my own
make when in camp please keep it
but remember
where it come
from

[End]

	My Dear Mother it has bin 
some time since I have recd a
letter from you but I will write 
once more and if you or Sarah
don't write I shall feel inclined
to wait a while before I
write again but I think you 
will write soon I shall look
sharp for a letter tonight and in 
fact I have bin looking sharp for
the last week but I am in hopes
I shall get one soon for I want
to hear from home often as your
health is poor I should like to
hear from you at lest three
times a week. as for myself my 
health is quite good I am getting
over my cold and am gaining
I feel just like old Frank again

I went over to the 7th to see
Alvah Sunday and stayed all night
with him he is well and tough
as a knot he is driving team
six mules with one line he
rides one that is the one next
to the wagon on the near side
and drives the rest with one line
I rode down to the rail road station
yesterday morning with him so
I only had to walk about a mile it
is about three miles from our camp
to Alvahs. I saw [Oslin?] Barden
he is well and looks real smart
I have not recd my box yet
but I think it will come yet
for some boys are recieveing Boxes that
have bin longer comeing than mine
Alvah has not recd his yet either
Mother I suppose I cannot get any pay
this Pay day either oweing to my
descriptive list which was left in
Detroit through some ones carelessness

    but when I get it it will come
in a pile I hope the other boys
will send home money enough so
you can have what you want
to use and if they don't you must
go to Mr Spaulding and take up
my money don't you suffer for
   any thing that money will get for
you  I can borrow some money if
the boys get their pay I lent Alvah
some the other day   I would get
my likeness taken and send it home 
if I had the money to spare but
the boys are all out of money so I cant
borrow until they get their pay again
I went and saw Ed Havey last night
about my descriptive list and he
said he would write to Detroit
and see about it he said also he 
would write home and see if I
could get the remainder of my
                  fifty Dollars from
 		[Fawn?]
Now Mother do write as often as possible and oblige

[Written on side of Scan 3]

your loving son BF.M
I hope this will find you all in good health especially you Dear Mother

[End] 

well Mother I hardly know what
to write I have just bin out and
drew a new pair of pants and
I put down for a shirt and they
wont let me have any and I am
mad and cannot think of any thing
to write but we are going to have
some beans for dinner and I guess they
will cool me down a little and then
I will try and write a few lines to 
Sarah & Freddy for I want them
to write to me for it seems so
good to hear from Home Oh if you
only knew how anxiously I watch
the mail and how much good it
does me to receive a letter from Home
you would write almost every day
or every time you could get a few
spare moments I don't mean you
altogether Mother but Sarah I want
her to write and Freddy to now do
write often for the sake of your son
for it is a lonely
place out here well I must
Bring this to a close ^ from
                  please except this           Marsh

[Written on side of Scan 4]

write and let me know if you get the medal I sent you