#69
				  70


			Hd Qrs Co "M"
			     1st Mich Engrs.
	Elk River Bridge Tenn Jan 24, 1864(5)
Dear wife I got a letter from you to-night and was
very glad to hear from you. I am well and
tough and have not had to live on quarter
Rations any yet nor seen any Rebs only when
they were taken prisoners Some folks like
to tell big stories now you know I never
exagerate if I know it. the boys at Murfreesboro
did have to live on short rations Rations for
a few days. you complain of my not writing
during the Raid if I had wrote forty letters
they would not left the office so I should
have had them all before me all the time.
and you would got them all at once. I dont
think it is right for the Boys to write such
stuff as they do there is no truth in it our
boys have had all the clothes to wear that they
neeed better than they even had at home
Some people are given to fault finding
especially if they are used well. I feel
to praise God for his protection over me
during this winter now I have traveled
                 hundred
a great many ^ miles by Railroad and
where accidents are of almost daily occurrence
and I have never been on a train yet where

one of the cars run off the track or any
other accident happened and during the raid
of Hood I have been out of all the danger and had
			to
plenty to eat drink and ^ wear and a good place
to sleep and I trace it all to the influence of
the prayers of my wife and little children I
know that God hears the prayers of his
children and he says asks in faith believing
				    	              cowardly
and ye shall receive I think the poor miserable ^
Copperheads will have to come to it yet it is taking
as much money out of them as anyone well I
suppose we shall have to stand it and pay the
expense of the war and fight it to but there is
a day of reckoning comeing when these sneaks
and villians will receive their just retribution
I dont know but it would be policy to Sell
out but I dont think we will try it yet.
perhaps we can buy some of those cowards
out yet. Tell Arden I am glad he has read his
books all through I dont believe I could guess
his riddles no how tell Babe I cant guess his
riddle about the grasshopper tell him to eat up
his popcorn tell them both I think of them Every
day and think how old they are and how they
grow and all about them. I cannot tell as I am
rather of a poor Scholar how long it will

			Jan. 24, 1865.


take to freeze ice thick enough to skate on
if it freezes one half inch in a night and thaw
out all day out every day before noon but I think
it would take nearly all winter am I right
		  you
or not    You say ^ must have your pay for
writing so many letters during the Raid but you
show a kind of an inclination to take advantage
of a poor Soldier if that is the case I think while
I have the advantage I had better keep it for I
have learned to look out for number one since
I came here now I have got those letters since
the raid is over so you see I have got the
advantage of you this time now help yourself
if you can. I know it rather unfair to take
advantage of a woman but soldiers you know
will do most anything when they get a chance
if you are enough for me let it be long or
short I think you have improved since I
left so I guess it will be long [remainder of line scratched out]
[(illegible in original)] I have been making pay Rolls all
day and for the last three days I have got to
go to Murfreesboro again to morrow to get the
boys up there to sign the pay Rolls we
are some what disappointed for we expected
four months pay but we dont get but
two months pay and not any Bounty this
time. Are you short of money if you are I
will send you some as soon as I get my
pay but if you have enough I thought I would
not pay the express charges on so little I
shall not get get but 36 dollars this time while
there is $112 dollars due me but it will all
come next time it is safe you know. I could
send you about 30 dollars now after pay day
but if you dont need the money I will keep
it untill I get some more to send with it
write and let me know as soon as you
get this.  I dont think of much more to
write at present I hope you will keep up
as good courage as you can and trust in
God all the time for I believe he will permit
me to come home and and my wife and
little children will be alive and we shall
feel have a free country and it will be at
peace and we shall feel we have done our
duty and thank God that we was found
worthy to serve our country in the hour
of her greatest (need) then is the time we
shall be happy. why I would not be in
the place of one of those Copperheads not
for my life or for the lives of all I

		Jan 24, 1865


hold dear on this earth.
     Good Bye from your even loveing husband
hoping God will bless and watch over
you is my prayer
			Simeon A Howe

to Cindonia E P Howe his loveing wife
Kiss the children for me


[three kisses appear at the end of this letter]