#58


		Stevenson Ala Oct 18th 1864
Dear wife I got a letter from you Saturday
that was mailed the 7th and I was very
glad to hear from you  . I am sorry to
find you so downhearted you must brace
up and keep a stiff upperlip  I am sorry you
had to work on the straw stack in thrashing
Such work is too hard for you to do I am
afraid I left too much on your hands to
do.  if it is possible for you to hire I
want you to do it.  It seems to me that
our wheat was an awful light crop for
Such a good piece of land but I suppose 
the drouth almost killed every thing this
summer.  will the crops at. the present prices
pay for the money it cost to raise them
I dont think that I would made a very
profitable Summers work if I had stayed at
home and perhaps ere this had to been
drafted into an infantry Reg. for I would
not give my place for a place in any infantry
Reg. if I had five hundred dollars to boot.
did you seed down all the place last spring
So you will not have to hire as much work
done next summer.   I do not think it
will pay to feed grain to the horses nor


cattle at $1.00 per bush for oats. any more
than is necessary I suppose you will
have to feed the horses and colt some
grain but the young cattle and sheep it
wont pay to feed much you had better
not keep any more stock than you are
Sure will winter on what fodder you have
got for it will not pay to buy fodder for
any kind of Stock at the present prices if
you Sell anything I think you had better
sell that odd Steer and then use your own
judgement as to what which will be the
most proffit to keep that little heiffer or our
Share of the lambs. or Even to let old Cressinger
have Sol's sheep back do as you think best.
and I believe it will be all right. you say
in your last letter that your grief has called
forth my sympathy my dear wife is not
addressed to you out of politeness but because
I love you more than all else in the world
you know I never was much of a hand at
any kind of flattery nor neither can I Express
always what I feel. I am certain I never professed
anything more to you than I felt or even half
what I felt. I suppose you think I am
perfectly contented here well I am as far as

			Oct. 18, 1864.


contentment will go without the society of
home and near and dear friends  I am here
from necessity and it is not my duty to be
content with my lot   I can say like you I
shall never have to answer for the Sin of
hypocracy you say your influence is nothing
you cant do any body any good any longer – well
I dont think so. you speak of two drinks a
day as if I was taking them if any person
has written Such Stuff their infamy has led
led them further than I supposed there is
some here that came with me that have always
Seemed to Envy me because I got more bounty
and saved more of my wages than they did
of theirs and they have told all sorts of lies
about me here but for the Sake of my family and
theirs I shall never resent Such Stories knowing
that if I pursue an upright and honorable
course I shall come out on the top of the heap
yet. You probably can guess who I mean. it is
John for one. you know he is of an Envious
disposition he says I try to be so d—m nice
and temperate but I will draw my rations of
whiskey and sell them to others he knows
better he knows I do not draw any rations
of whiskey nor would not sell or give any

away: there is men in the company
that will believe Such stories but there
is others that do not believe them. I think
any man of good sense after seeing as much
	 n
drunken^ess as I have seen here would curse
the very smell of ardent Spirits of any kind.
Your letter implies as much as if some one
had wrote that I had been tipping the cup.
Well. I think I have written enough of my
grieveances I never should have said a
word if you had not spoke of it in your
last  . you need not read this to E. for she
is not to blame. You ask what does Ed
Bassett and me with our two drinks a
day there is no such thing as two
drinks a day  here only by Spells well
I dont take any so Save that much
to government as to Ed Bassett it is
none of my business all I will say
we have some true temperate men here
and they are my friends and associates.
    hardly
it is ^ possible to buy blankets and
other clothing now for it is getting
nearly winter again but if there is
any chance to buy any to send home
I will do it. we cant draw any more.

			Oct. 18, 1864.


than we want for our own use.  I am
afraid Anasa's wife will have to look
in vain for him this fall for I dont 
think any of this company will be 
mustered out untill the war closes or
else untill our three years is up – I
dont think it a good plan to write such
kind of encouragement because it creates
too great a disappointment. tell babe he
need not save any of the peaches for pa can
get peaches here so he can look in the glass
and see them go down his little froat, &
tell Arden that pa can get lots of potatoes
     I must bid you all good bye once more
and ask you to pray for me that God will
bring me back once more to the bosom
of my family an ever loveing & beloved
family this is the prayer of your husband
			Seimeon A Howe

P.S. I dont think that I shall do anything to save
John any expense after this. he must pay his
part of the family expenses at home. Good-bye
			                         S.A.H.