Camp Minty
	Sunday August 31st /62
Dear Lucy
	     I take this time to write
you a few lines I am hear in
camp enjoying myself better than
I expectted to. the boys from our
way have most all been scick but
are all well at present we have
	         in
tents to sleep ^ with hay to lay our
blankets on thare is from 14 to 18 in
a tent we have some loud times
hear last evening the boys in the
Rifle regiment Broke up there sutlers
tent spilt a number of Barrels of
Whiskey & Beer for him scattered his
apples pies & candy & set fire to
the remains. theye are camped right
over the fence from us & we could
see all the fun (bad boys them)
     we have but four hours
drill per day have plenty of time
to write. most of us are to lazy
to write much & I guess I am
as lazy as any of them should
not write if I had any other way
of hearing from you we have plenty
to eat & that that is good enough
the Bugal sounds for roll call at
five in the morning & at half past
eight in the evening then all hands
have to turn out, we ware musterd
in to the United Sates service
the 28th all of our company went in
except two we have not received our
			       hav it
bounty money yet expect to ^ tomorow
it will be very doubtfull about
my coming home again if I should
you will be likely to see me down
your way. we dont know anything
about when we shall leve hear

I hope we shall before long the
officers dont think we will leve in
less than a month but we may
for all that this is a poor place
to write a letter Frank. Brooks &
myself are all writing on top of one
				  Boys
dry goods Box & the rest of the ^ are
lying around the tent some asleep
some finding fault because they
cant go home others in the other
tents
^ are fiddleing playing cards swaring
and raising the old Harry genraly
you must excuse mistakes this time
& perhaps I will do Better next
time
  	Plese answer this if you
consider it worthey of an answer
	Yours Truly
			O.E.Gooding

     Plese Direct to Mich.. 4th Cavalry
		    Company A
			Detroit
				Mich..