Camp Grover Offutts X Roads Md. Thursday eve Dec 19th 1862 My Darling one

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We are having a mail now three times a week, and this week I am in big luck for I am getting letters by every mail. tonight I got one from John at “Cin” one from Aunt Laura about Frank, and your blessed good long one with the “Photos” of Mother Beebe and sister Katie. They are both of them good one’s and you may believe I sat and looked at them for a long time. I am very glad you sent them. Tell Mother I thank her very much for it - but oh! what “sad memories” do they bring up. I can very well see what a sad fix you are in to have both of the “little pets” come down now with the “whooping cough” and I not by to help you, it does seem to bad I declair, and certainly God alone can assist you to bear all your many troubles. I think you will be more at your ease to stay at home and keep house, but it will be awful lonesome for you I know, as I said before. I think you better keep some one with you that you can depend on.

I am glad you did not send me those “blue letters”, for I have all I can bear now, do not be so sure of my coming home at New Years either, for if you set your heart upon it so much and then get disapointed it will hurt you more Be sure I will come if I can, but you must recollect I am a soldier and have got a duty to perform here as well as at home. We have met with a reverse at Fredricksburgh and how it may effect my going home I cannot say now, but it may stop me, though I hope not. We have just got the news here this evening that Genl. McClellen is again in command of the Army of the Potomac and the boys are perfectly wild over it. politicians may say what they please of him, but we have not got a General that begins to have the popularity amongst the soldiers that he has. I do not know how it is - but it is so. I hope he will do well. Orderly Abbott is a little better to day, and we have some hopes of him. Corp Marshall is still doing well. If you see any of Uncle Vests folks tell them Frank will probably start for home about the middle of next week, and I guess “Will Hutch” will go with him. All the rest well. No news here only “Eli White’s” Cavalry are hanging around us and we may have a brush with them before long. “All quiet on the Potomac” You see I write often this week if I do not write long.

As Ever William