Envelope

Mr Chas. J. Gale esq
Elmore Lamoile CoVermont

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8th Reg. Vt. Vols. Co. AAlgiers LaAugust 1st 1862Dear Brother Charley.

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I again seat myself to pen you a few lines to let you know that my health is good as common & hope these lines wil find you enjoying the same blessing. since I last wrote to you I have been some unwell have had a lame back but it is nearly well now and my health is better than it was when I had the dierea so much. yesterday I took care of one of our boys that is sick at the hospital. his name was Lucias M Benson of Worcester. I presume you remember of a coupple of fell- ows that rode from this side of Mr Spaul- dings up to the Pond with us one time when you came after me at Hyde Park. this one was the tallest one; he was taken with the sore throat about ten days ago but was not much sick til 3 or 4 days ago he went to the hospital. when I went to take care of him yesterday morning he could talk consider- able & breathed quite easy but before 8 Oclock

in the eavening he was a corpse. he died verry easy; he was as nice a fellow as we had in our Co. he had not an enemy in the Co. his sickness was dipthera. we shal miss him verry much. but we have the great con- solation of knowing that he has gone to the land of rest the Saints delight. his last [lisps] were prayer and praises to God. Charles Cooper is in the hospital sick with the fever. I asked him yesterday if anyone had wrote to his folks for him to let them know he was sick he sayed not as he knew of and so I wil write a little to you how he is & you can tel them. he isent verry sick not so but he can get up in the bed alone and he knowes what he is about mostly: he knew me and the Capt & Lieut but once ner while he is a little wander- ing; I think if nothing new sets in he wil come out of it streight; he has good care as any one can have in the armey. has a comfortable bed and some thing suitable to eat they nead not wory about him for we shal do the best we can for him. give brother Coopers people my best res- pects and wel wishes. there has been no cases of the yellow fever here this summer & the citizens say it is to late for that now

the rest of the Elmore boys are all well

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Brother Charley I should like to ask you many questions but it has been so long since I have heard from you that I hardly no what to ask you about. I havent heard from any of you since the 18th of June when Sam antha wrote to me. there has been some delay about the Steamers from here to New York I hardly no what it is. but they kep teling it is comeing soon. wel when it comes there wil bee the more of it. wel how do you get along with the haying and who helps you about it I think you have got the low land back of the house cut and some of the clover peaces cut by this time. how does corn & grain look this year; and where did you plant the corn; how do your poneys grow & the calves & lambs; and one thing more: how are the Babys getting along up there; I think I must come home some Saturday night and see to them wel I wish I could see you all and have a chance to talk up these matters a little but I must stop and run this machine a spel yet if my health is good; it is a big wheel and they cant run it without help. wel I think this wil do for nonsence this time. I wil try and think of som ething else to write or else stop. there is no war news to write this time. I havent learnt yet that Richmond is taken by our troops. but I dont know but they wil starve them out as quick as any way.

do you have any good rides in the new waggon this summer. I dont want you should let it run away Sunday nights for when I get home I shal run the darned wheels of the pleggy thing.

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the weather has not been quite so hot for a few days past it has rained a most every day we have had a nice shower this for noon and looks like more yet. our rations are verry good most of the time get a little short once ner while. we have soft bread nearly all the time now we can by milk for five cents a pint when we have money to pay for it or we can swap bread for milk when we can save any out of our rations more than we want to eat. I bought ten cts worth of butter and ten worth of chease for I had quite a treat. give little Herbert occaisonally a good hugging for me once a week they must write me once a week. for it is about played out for me to do all the writing. give my love to Father Mother Sister and brother and except the same your own self. also my love to all that enquire after the old fellow. give Hiram Putnam my compliments for his letters that I dont get. I wrote to him when we first got to Ship Island. please answer this as soon as you can. tel them all to write more if they ever want to see me in peace. excuse all mistakes.

yours respectfullyJ. F. Gale

My paper is bad:
My ink is pale.
My love to you dear brother;
Wil never fail.
J.F.G.

(C. T. Gale)