Justus F. Gale to Sister
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As I have a convenient opportunity I will endevor to write a few lines to you this
morning as I beleive it is your birth day. I should much rather see you whare we
could talk with each other face to face; but circumstances do not ad- mit at present.
I am well and enj- oying good health. although I heard last eavening by a letter that
Wesley got from Brother Cooper that it was reported about there that Gale was dead;
but I think you have heard to the contary before this time if not I will tel you so
now.
To be sure I may bee dead before this reaches you be that as it may
let us look ahead for the best. there was a mail come for us yesterday and all the
rest of the Elmore boys got letters but me; and you may guess I was spunkey enough
about writing any more unless I got an answer from the letters I have already sent
home. but when Wesley told me what Brother Cooper wrote I thought perhaps that was
the reason I didint get any although he said they dident credit the report. there
hasent been much of great importance a going on with us since I last wrote except
there are any amount of darkies a coming into camp here every day; they come in, in
squads from 5 to 75 at once; since Sunday morning I should think there had at least
200 colored people come into our camp. they are enlisting the blacks up the river
8 miles from here. I expect they will send these up there to enlist. they
have already got up nearly two regiments of them & I dont know but more. I wish
they would arm all the slaves there is in the south and set them on & spat their
hands and holler steboy. they are ready to go at the rebels like a mess of blood
hounds. I dont see any appearance of an attack on this place but cant tel what will
come round before the war is closed; I heard they had had an other battle at Verginia
and that Gen Jacksons army was all cut up. I am glad to hear that spunkey boys of
Vermont are still enlisting to put down this black unprincipaled rebelion. I am sorry
that it is nesicary to call so many to the battlefield; but the more that go the
quicker it will bee over with. I read in a letter that Stephen had from Elisons folks
that
Mr Fisk & Frank Wells have enlisted & some others was going
to. I suppose that it will make Almira feel bad to have Frank go to war but tel her
she must bee patriotic enough to let all that will go, go before they are drafted.
The weather here is getting to bee some what cooler than it has been; and as the heat
is diminishing the health of our regiment is improving. Charley Cooper is gaining
slowly; he has had a pretty hard pull at it but I think he will get along well now.
Rufus is about the camp hasent done any duty yet since he came from the hospital. the
rest of the Elmore & Wolcott boys are smart as whip. We are expecting to bee paid
off before this month is out. they seem to calculate so as to keep two months pay
behind if they can.