#14


		Dec. 30 / 63 Bridgeport
Dear wife it is now another week since
I wrote to you and it rains very hard now
you need not think this is written with
my blood because it is red so dont faint
you asked me if John paid my fare to
Detroit no he did not nor I have not
borrowed of him I have got more money
now than when I left Detroit John and
I are all square we expect to muster for
pay this afternoon but we dont expect
to get any pay yet there is a mistake
in the date of my Descriptive Roll which
would cheat me out of seventeen dollars
but the colonel says I can get it altered
so it will be all right, we are not in
any more danger here than when at
home I am well and hearty as ever. George
Richmond that you said was discharged
is here in his regiment – I can see him
any day they dont discharge men now for
trifling diseases. methinks it snows up
there now and O how cold but here it is
almost summer be very saving of the
fodder for a long dreary winter is before
you – write how much the taxes is tell


Mr. Luce that I dont want over two bushels 
of oats sowed to the acre tell him to sow
all the white oats first I think I will
send you five dollars in this letter that
I have laid ut (up?) cince I came here. I
have made nine dollars for cooking
and I send you five of it John I expect
will be a corporal then he will get $20 per
month   I think that the men up there
have come it over us by raising a tax to
hire men to enlist and tax us that have
gone to help pay it. I dont think it is
at all fair play If they wanted to get rid of
the draft they should have paid it by
subscription then it would not fall part
on the soldiers I am going to send you
my certificate of Enlistment as soon as it
is made out and you may go to the
Supervisor and see if he will do anything
for you pay your debts with your money
and make the Supervisor get you exempt
from paying taxes or help you to some
money to help yourself with which
would be all the same you know I
think our taxes will be very high to
pay such a tax keep your own councils

			12/30/63


about it how are the children and yourself
is baby as lively as ever I know Arden is
a good boy and gets good long lessons does
dolly begin to get lazy any with her colt
I think you had better keep the steers'
another winter after this to eat up the
straw next winter and take all the sheep
that you can feed after next shearing
I had an oyster supper for Christmas which
cost me one dollar but I think I shant spend
much money unless I am sick if we live
as well as we do now the Cap is not
here yet but we have got the best Lieutenant
ever was we think we shall stay here
   next
till ^ spring I shall send my money home
by letter as I think it is saft safer
than by express. well my sheet is full so
I must quit I got a letter from you last
Saturday and one from Martha last Wednesday
so Happy New Year to you from your husband
				S A Howe