March the 13 1864
Dear Mary and little Claire
I received your letter the 10 and was
glad to hear from you I Should
answered your letter the same day
I got it off I had been able I am getting
better now I think I shall get along now
I have been quite sick it comensed with
a hard cold first and then I had
chills and fever I had a loss off appetite
my appetite is coming back again
I have not suffered as much with
Sickness I had the [illegible] fever well
there is a good reason for our being
Sick we have been[illegible in original] into
berated three different times and every
time we moved we caught a cold
beside all the rest we have a nasty
filthy barac to Stay in I presume
I have lost 10 pounds off flesh Since I
have been here but I guess I Shall get it back

I have not been able to be on duty
I would have to go to the doctors every
morning in order get excused from doing
guard duty we are agoing [illegible] away from
this miserable hole this week I cannot
tell exactly what day we Shall go we
are going from here to cold water where 
I am in hopes we Shall have better quarters
well Mary there is all kinds off
business carried on here some
gets drunk and falls into the privy
walts there is no place for them
to sit down cursing and swearing some
laughing some dancing some making
odd [illegible] Some playing football
and Some playing [illegible] while I want
to know how my little Clary gets
along oh how I wish I had her here
to play with a little while it would
make me feel a good deal better than I now
feel I believe I would like to have her
on my knee and feed her some off my bean soup
out off my cup

you [asked?] about having your
relief funds I am [going?] to try to get it
as soon as I can the [illegible] had
ought to have given us one but he
did not give any of us any I drew
my State bounty last Friday 11
and I have Sent [80?] dollars to you
you will find it to the express
office at Ypsilanti off you cannot
go and get it yourself if you
send by anybody to get it you will
have to Send an order you can get
Sidney to write you one I Saved 20
for fear I might be sick and need it
before we leave here I Shall [daw?] 75
more that I Shall Send to you I Shall
Send all my [illegible in original] to you and you
can drop a line to Mr Reynolds and he
can come and get it I expect when we
get to cold water I expect to have a furlow
I Shall now have to go and warm my feet
and hands So goodbye. from your affectionate
					husband