Locke Oct 19th 1862
	To My Dear absent but never forgotten child
	It seems cruel that you have been gone 6 weeks
to day and have not heard a worde from home we have
got all your letters and answered all except the 2 last ones
you wrote in Sag and you had gone before you got them
and we have directed Just as you told us to and I am
afraid you did not tell us right but I guess you will get
our Last letter written one week ago to night and mailed
at Owosso Last Tuesday it explained why we did not
come to see you at Sag. Now I want to know how you
are if you are sick a bed or able to be about and if you
look very hale and [illegible in original] tell me all about it for I am
very anxious about you I dont rest much on your
account and if you are not likely to be about smart
pretty soon get a furlough and come home you can do
no good there if you are sick all the time you know
when you once get sick it takes you a long time to get
about show this letter to your officers if need be tell them
you wish to come home and recruit O how I wish you could
board at home and do your duty as a soldier you would
be stronger and better fitted to perform your arduous
duties but I very much fear with your present health
and fare that you will never be able to do a soldiers duty
and if you do find your self growing weaker and worse
dont fail of getting leave to come home you may go in
to consumption if you neglect this and then you can do
no one any good but I hope to hear that your health is
improving do be careful you know how much we doat on
you and not expose yourself to storms or hardships untill
you are able I hope you will not be required to do duty
before you are perfectly well and even then you must be
careful you know your Fathers family all die with cons-
-umption remember this and be careful I wish I could be
with you and take care of you when you are so poorly it would

[Written on left side of Scan 1]

poor [Abel?] Seely is dead he died in the hospital in Iowa of his wound and dysentary Emerson Crandell
                 is sick in a hospital
                 in Washington

be a great comfort Israel wanted us to send you a box of things but
Caleb says that if we should you would not be allowed to have
								      ati
to your selves and sometime ago when the trouble was in Cincin^
they would not take any thing by express but I dont know how
tis now. I wish you would find out these particulars and send
word quick for if things can be sent to you where you
are and do you good while you are unwell I would not
fail of sending them to you but I should hate to send
such things as I shall and not have them do you good
now be sure and find out if a box directed to you would
                              you
go by xpress and if ^ could have the contents and if so
be sure and give us the right adress and we will soon
send you something nice do you want the mittens and any thing
else in the clothing line do wear your flannel never mind
if it does, scratch a little tell me if you do this I shall feel better
about you I hope the man that gave Israel a testament gave
you one too and you will read it I am sure and gather
strength and courage form its sacred pages remember the
many lessons of instruction you have recieved from time
to time and profit by it as far as it was right I should
hate to give you wrong counsel and be the means of your doing
one mean, or wicked thing I never thought of you so often when
you were here as I do now you are scarecely out of my mind
a moment and I shall feel worse and worse every day about
you till I hear you are bettr or coming home the tract you
sent in the Louisville Journal is nothing but some extracts
from the Pilgrims Progress abook by the by, I never held
in very high esteem and if there was any thing about
it that you took to your self or worried about throw it right
aside your own precious faith is sufficient for you do right
in all things keep your conscience clear put your trust in
God who will have all men to be saved and come to the
truth which shall make them free commit your
self daily into his kind Fatherly care and you will
grow stronger and stronger in the right and feel perfect
confidence in his grace which shall be sufficient for you again
my dear boy I leave you in his hands feeling that his watchful care
is ever over you and will keep you from falling into temptations

[Written on the right hand side of Scan 2]

and I trust bring you in due time home to your ever Loving and anxious Mother and friends good bye
                                                                                                                            poor lonesome boy