I enclose a five dollar bill in this  #23
	the [map?] I send shall be Ardens 


		Bridgeport Ala Feb. 28th / 64.
Dear wife it is with pleasure that I can find a
few moments to converse with you I am well
received your letter this morning dated Feb. 19th
and very sorry to hear that you had all been
so sick but was glad you was getting better
I pray that God will spare the lives of all I
hold dear in this world of Sin untill I can
behold them once more but if it is his will
to take any of us away I shall try to submit
to my lot with manly fortitude O I pray
God grant my prayers and protect those I
love keep them from all harm for I can
do them no good where I am. was sorry
that you did not meet with better luck at
Danlys. did you take my roll of honor
with you. you had better get Bassetts
affidavit he knows I did not get any city
bounty and he knows that I was credited
to Gratiot county and to your town I cannot
get the captains affidavit because he is
not here I can get Lieut More's certificate
and nothing else he is in Command of our
company and my certificate of muster was
copied from the muster Rolls on file in his
office signed by Capt Duryea I have just
written a letter to Mr. Danly Stating the facts
in the case and I think your application
will be attended to I will do what I can to
get you all the proof in my power as soon
as we muster again which will be to morrow
or next day. we have to muster every two
months. Tom Munson is back to the
regiment again if Captain Gifford ever
comes back I shall send his certificate
to you   this has been a very busy
week for me  we had a scare last
Monday the news was that Morgan
was ten miles from here with ten
thousand men and we heard the roar
of Artillery about ten miles off. we was
ordered into the entrenchments so we had
to move about one mile So to be protected
by the canons of the fort there is about
100 pieces of artillery here and it would take
at least 20,000 to take the place so says
General Geary he is in command here.
well we did not see any thing of John Morgan
and I dont believe we ever shall I have not
seen any armed rebs yet. the canons we
heard was a National Salute for Washington's 
brithday. So ended that big fight

we have got every thing fixed here much nicer
than we was before we moved in We are
camped on the side of a slight elevation
about twenty rods from the Tenn river each
Company in a straight line thirteen tents to
the Comp with a nice little ditch to turn the
water (?) on each side with a large cook shanty
at the lower end of the tents with four
fire places in it and our parade ground
in front of our tents all swept clean every day
about as wide as your door yard I have been
vaccinated three times but it has not worked
yet   I shall keep trying as there is plenty of
matter in camp John has got it to work on
his arm the Doctor says there is no use
of my trying for it will not work as long
as there is little pits in the old scar. well
I must stop for want of room  Good bye
Kiss both the children for me
     From your loving husband
       to his wife		   Simeon A Howe