#13
	Letter No 3

		Dec. 24th Bridgeport Al (Baking 
				                 Bakery
					      dough)?
Dear wife I run in from the doug to
write to you. I got a letter from you dated
the 10th last Sunday just after I had finished
writing to you it had the childrens likeness
in it but I was disappointed in not having
yours with them but that will come bye and 
bye  I was glad of the stamps for I cannot
buy them here I had to borrow a few
to get along but now I am all right for
four more letters the troops that was
here. have all gone but a few hundred they
only came here. to get some clothes and
provision. my letters go the same road
that yours do and I get your letters in
from 9 to 12 days just as the mail comes.
Our descriptive rolls have come and we
		          our
shall most likely get paid pay in Jan
sometime the reason I dont say I
shall come home is because I dont
know I dont think I should stay any
longer than it would take the cars
to bring me home if I had the privilige
of coming but still I should enlist
again if I was home now but I dont
expect to get discharged untill my time is

out or the war is over. It was not
my fault any more than the rest of
the men in not taking a receipt for that
box of clothing it was more a matter
of accommodation in my having the
change we could not get to a regular
express office but had to trust to
another man. Bassett knows just
how it was there with us all in
Detroit but if they want to take
that course to cheat you out of their
honest dues let them run we can
stand it and after this I will go
on my own hook in business
Tell Arden pa is glad he is a
good boy and gets his lessons well I
am kept very busy cooking so I
dont get much time to write or
do anything else but cook. I am
going to (be) cooking for the officers
of the Com there will be but six
of them then I think I can get
more time for something else
and I shall have a stove and some
thing kind of nice all the nick
nacks I shall want etc. I want

			Dec. 24, '63


you to get me a good cook book and send
it to me by mail done up in a wrapper good
and safe send a receipt for cooking cookies
sponge cake and what to season pies with
I have the name of being the best cook
in the company so you see you would
not have to live quite so shabby as you
think. we draw pepper and [illegible in original] spice
can be bought within 10 rods of our
house. I like camp life well. I keep
well yet I dont hear anything from
Oscar or Will yet wait untill nearly
spring and see if clover seed dont come
down any in price if it will I should
like to have it got. I was very glad to
see the little boys even in pictures
they look very natural but they dont
speak to me nor do they run and play
but enough of this I could get home-
sick and make myself miserable but
I wont do it any how you can fix
it so good bye for now I must
go and mix some bread for supper
I have to mix for thirty six men what
do you think of that From your husband
		               Simeon A. Howe

Christmas eve I should like to fill
all your stockings I wish you all a
Merry Christmas.
			SA H.