1862
Camp Belger Oct 19
Dear Parents
              it is with great
pleasure that I set myself
down to answer your most
welcomed letter of the 12th which
I received
last Thursday and should have
answered it before   if I could
have got a good chance and I should have
wrote anyway   if I had not
wrote to Henry   we have to
drill so much now I dont have
so much time to write as
I did   I am well and enjoiing
first rate health   I have not
felt as well as I do now
in a long time   I hope this
will find you all well
we are having a good time now
it is fine weather now hear

well I have commenced on the
wrong side of this paper
                  I should not
wonder if we should stay hear
all winter   that is the calculation
now I believe, the war is not
ended yet nor wont be in a
good while yet   I have not been
___ but once ____ since I
came from home   yes Uncle Steve
gets his washing and ironing
done and ___ to him for 10 cts
and I could if I had the money to
spare but then it dont take
so long to wash my clothes
out   I ___ iron them   my
socks wears pretty well   I have
not got any more yet   my boots wear
first rate all but the souls   there
is no holes in them yet   yes
Uncle Steve is a friend   as for
Fred he aint much any way   Dan
is a F R I E N D  I sleep with

Dan George Hays and Leroy
B Wood   Leroy is a good fellow
Hays is ___ when he has
a mind to ___   Dan is a clever
boy   I have not seen him much
he has not been hear much
he is off guarding the hospital
but a little   the best boy
of them all is Amacy Rite
he is a bully boy  I carry all
of my letters that I wrote to
the ___ out   Capt Tucker gets
them for they came in his care
yes ask all of the questions that
you want and I will answer
all of them that I can for I
love to have you ask questions
you need not be afraid about
asking or asking them   I wish you
would send me a loaf of Indian
bread and a pan of milk   I get

once in a while a dish of milk
by paing 4 cts a pint for it
but it dont taste much like our
milk in brookfield   Pa you did
get rather Skunked in selling
your hops I guess but never mind
that for you will get it made up
in stear calves someday like enough
Pa I would like to have
you send me some butter and cheese
if you could just as well as not
Dan says if you will send a
box of things he will have a bag put
in some things and he will pay
half of the expenses   there is a
good many of the boys have had
things sent to them   So if you make
up your mind to send a box
I want you to put in a pie
and a cake or two  but if you
dont think it best
dont send it ... 

[rest of letter missing]