Campbell hospital
		Washington DC Feb [2nd?]
		Dear sister it is with
		   pleasure that I
		   take this opportunity
		   of answering your
		   welcom letter of
	  	   the eighth I was
very glad to hear from you after
so long atime I was glad to hear
that you ware all well at
pressent as you see I am in
the hospital now though I
am getting better I have not
done any duty since the middle
of january but I have only
been in the hospital since
last saturday when I came to
the regimental hospital and
staid thare until monday
when I came here to the
			       ed
general hospital I am surround^
by men from all states most
Some are [crossed out] [wo] wounded and some

are sick with one thing and some
with another I am sick with acold
which settled on my lungs and
made me pretty week that I
could hardly walk but
I am better now than I have
been for along time I under
stand that the fifth regiment
has been over in to virginia
doing picket duty and now
they tell me that the fifth
have come back and two companies
of our regiment have been sent
off for the same porpose I am
getting anxious to get well and
join my company again for
			        e
I dislike to be away from th^am
it Since I have been sick
I cannot think of any think
of any [crossed out] [think] thing to write
I would like to go to meeting
with our folks once more I am

Sorry that Mother is sick
but am glad that she is
going to stay with Edmonds 
folks aweek or two I think
that she will get better to
keep quiet a week or two
I would like to know who Netty
is if you please I would like
to see [Bordman Hill?] I have
enquired for him some since
I came here
I am very glad that George got
that money that I sent for
I was rather anxious about it
for fear that some body else
would like it well enough
to take it out of the letter
I hope that you will write
     as
me ^ soon as you can [crossed out] [convent]
conveniently Good bye for this
time with love I remain
your absent brother G W Mattoon