Camp 86th Regt. NY Vol.
Thursday
My dear Sarah,
Your box came safely to hand this afternoon. We have already had a meal from its contents. It could not have had a better time on the passage, nor a better time for its arrival. The whole past week has been cold & dreary. Good for cooked meat but hard for one's spirits. I confess I began to feel it was not so easy to soldier it after all. Mud, wind, sleet! Wet wood & but little of it. Horse shivering in the pitiless storm. Since moving camp we have slept on the floor having no material to make a bed. One morning woke with some rain dropping in my face & found a stream across the floor under the clothes. But this morning the sun came out bright & it has been a beautiful day. Changed tents today with the Colonel. We wanting more room & he preferring a closer house of less room. Was engaged in making a bed as your box came. I invited the private, who has been helping us, to take supper and I assure you we did justice to the meal.
It would have been difficult for you to make a better assortment. Everything was in as nice order as if but just carried from the pantry. Please convey my thanks to the friends who contributed any of the articles. And for yourself, my dearie. Know that I receive this as another token of your warm love. I can understand that you send the box because it is a pleasure for you to send. A strange, pleasant feeling possesses me as I handle & eat the articles that you so far away so recently made & handled.
But what should I say to my little girls. How busy your little fingers were in picking out such a lot of nuts. I shall do as the squirrel, eat them sparingly. Shall keep the most of them to carry in my pocket when we are on the march all day long in the hot sun. Yesterday while out riding I found some flowers. They were growing in what had been a beautiful garden. But the house had been torn down, the fences taken away & the beautiful grounds ruined. But the little flowers didn't forget to grow. I don;t know their names. But I told the man who was with me that you would know the names if anything like them grow near you. I have not hunted all over the box yet. In my next letter will write to you. I must leave you now. Bye bye, all. May God keep you & bring us together rejoicing.
Henry
Sarah, I sent my Resignation [from his church] to Mr. Ferrier last Monday. Think you had better fill the blank with June.
I saw Mr. Jennings' name on a piece of paper. Which of the articles did he send? No pay yet. “Good things are long coming.” Debating meeting in our Chapel tonight. Not much probability of our leaving here before the 1st of May. The roads will scarcely admit. And until then the weather will be too unsettled. Do not be unnecessarily concerned about the result of the Summer Campaign. I think it will be the winding up of the war. And for safety we are in God's hand. I hope you will write me at once what action the Church takes & who are the Commissioners appointed to Presbytery.
With much love,
Henry
Last Friday I rec'd two letters from you. Was frightened. Thought one had been sent immediately after the other with bad news. [At top of page 1, right side up]: Among the receipts you will find one to cover postage of all periodicals up to July 1864. I will write to Bidwell.
