#27


		Bridgeport Ala March 20th / 64
Dearest wife I received your despondent letter this
morning of March 11th and was very sorry to find
you so down hearted I know how to pity you
though I was very glad to hear you was in better
in health I get your letters every week regular
as the week comes around do try and have
better courage perhaps if I had as sensitive
a nature I should be as down hearted as
yourself You accuse me of not telling you any
        bad
thing ^ that happens to me well you dont
want me to tell you a lie I know. there
has not been anything bad happened to me
yet so you see I could not tell of anything bad
well I have had the nose bleed once about
10 drops of blood and have had the head ache
twice since I came down here but did not
think it worth mentioning but will be more
particular in the future  : if you will forgive
me this time. don not think because I say I
would enlist if I was at home again that I am
perfectly contented I think it would be my
duty to my bleeding country to offer my
services in her behalf. I am never contented
away from those dear ones at home my
wife and children you know not how my


my heart yearns to be with you but my country's 
call is sacred to me as the vows I pledged
to you. I shall serve my time if I live untill
I get my discharge with honor and I hope no
blame will ever be set opposite my name
if in my power to prevent it. but when
I get home I feel that I shall have done my
duty to my country. tell Ada that  that
I wish her and Old bowls much Joy I fear
that you get slim most too fast I think
your humble servant has made you too
much trouble which takes the flesh
off your bones. as to my being in so
much danger it is all fudge I have
not been Morganized yet nor have I seen
an armed rebel since I came into the
service. there was one train of cars
captured by a band of Guerillas about
70 miles from here and 3 cars were
burned they did not have time to do
any more damage for a New York
regiment closed them off no doubt
they would like to get a lick in here
but they could not do it without an
army of 20 or 30,000 men. I am sorry
you did not get my two letters the Monday

			Mar. 20th /64.



before you sent your last there was five
dollars in each one of them, but I think
you will get them yet all right. I am not
quite as well this week as usual but
think I shall come round all right. If you
		       intendent
wright to the Supervisor of the recruiting
service tell him I was forwarded to
the reg Oct. 28th 1863. I dont think I
pray as much as I ought but I do
pray for you and the little boys and
I feel you pray for me keep your spirits
up if possible, the lord will protect us
if we trust in him  I am glad you have
got through the long cold winter. Soon
warm weather will come again and then
your prospects will be brighter with the sun.
there is not much news to write so you must
excuse my short letter for I believe I am
getting thick headed and cant think of any
thing to write I wrote in my last for some
post stamps but you need not send them for
I have bought some. I got $5.00 more to
send you but thought I would wait 
and see if I got any letter thinking I
might need it I try to be very econ-
omical to save all I can for you

Reserve my love for you and the children
you must think of all the meanest things
I ever said or done and then say he is
a mean fellow anyway, so let him go and
welcome       good bye from your loving Husband
			Simeon A Howe
	          to his wife C.E.P.H.