[Written upside down on top of Scan 1]

write often I guess you have as
much time as I do
[illegible in original] you will find a pin & needle
in this which was taken from a rble
I guess he is under ground befor
this time the needle is some the color of
them.

[Written on left-hand side of Scan 1]

Othniel

[Written on the right-hand side of Scan 1]

I am sorry if I hurt your [illegible in original] the last time I wrote

				1863
		Camp Stanley Sunday March 15
		I received your letter
a few minuets ago & thought I
would answer it right of we come
in to camp last night had been
 ten or
gone ^ eleven days had no chance
to write or get our mail I tell
		       a	
you I was  little dis^pointed in
not finding a letter from you but
they was one come to day which
was mailed the 10th of this month
and I feel all right now glad
to here the news from Home
you received the last letter I
wrote I guess the last one had
a green back in it we had 
some right smart fitting this
last scout we have had we
		           of March
left camp the fourth  ^ that afternoon
we charged into a reble camp took

about 60 prisoners their tents & 
camp equipage our rugement & the
7th Penselvany made the charge and
you better bleive the rebles Skeedaduled
in a hury our company was sent
around to get in the rear of the
reble camp we got within about ten
rods of the road when the rest of
the boys pitched into them in
front they undertook to make a
stand but it want no use the
for we went in on a dead run
& ware bound to go through we
chased them about 6 miles and
then let what we had not taken
prisoners go but one of our boys got
hurt and that not very bad thare
was a nubmer of reble killed & a
good many wounded some with
gun shot and some with saber
we are having plesant wether
now have a little to much rain

for
^  camping out when it looks like
rain some times we put up a
shelter but we dont always have
time and then we get wet which
makes a soldier look cross and
most of them swear a little
and not a very little eather
Spring has come here some of the
flowers are in full bloom I wish
you had such wether in March
but that wont make it so
if they will let me go home
and stay thare they may have
all they have got and I wont
trouble them any more but they
wont let me go I guess thare
is a good many of our officers
resigning and going home our Captain
has sent in his resignation but
it has not been accepted yet
& I hope it wont be Col Minty
has ben promoted and has command

Brigade, Lieut.. Dickerson has resigned Captain
Mix of. Co D. has command of the regiment
our 1 & 2 Lieuts have resigned and we
have got some new ones if they dont
behave better than they have they will
get run in to the ground I reckon
you can tell Brooks about our officers
playing out he new all of them we
did not like to lose our Colonel
for he was good [blood?] and went ahead
Dickerson was a little cowardly and
we ware glad to get rid of him
I beleive the fourth Mich has about as good
a name as any regiment in the feild
[illegible in original] they are more reduced in numbers
than any other regiment that has been out
the same length of time time we have a
good many Mich.. soldiers hear [illegible in original]
14.. 19.. [illegible in original] the 2d cavalry are here beside
two or three Batteries [name illegible in original] is
with 21st I saw him yesterday about
20 miles from hear he is well and
tough two of our boys got their dischargev
while we war out on this last scout          d
one was John Herron he lived some whare
near whar you have been teaching I
beleive the other was Dickerman he lives
some whare near Milan Mr Turner is
a goodeal unwell expects his discharge
soon Mr Bunce is laying in the Hospital
almost helpless he lived near Milan
Just has not gone to the Hospital yet
he is getting a little better now has got
over his cough his appetite is first rate and
I guess he will get along he has had
a hard time of it thare is only about
[25?] in our company fit for duty, why
I should stand it when so many others
are giving out that was tougher than I
was when we left Mich.. is a mistery
to me I am able to do duty all of the
time and hope I shall be as long as I
have to stay hear I dont think I have
received all the letters you have
written to me I believe I have writen
every time I have received a letter
and some times when I have not
if you cant read this send it back
     beleive I can