William Wirt Henry to Mary Jane Henry
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Yours of last Sunday came tonight and finds me feeling much better than I did the last time I wrote you. the “Chestnuts” and “Hibbards Pills” I have got rid of at last and I guess it will do me good. I am still on the lazy list and taking life easy. I rode out yesterday on the Majors Horse, with Col. Stannard on the Picket
Tell Sister Katie I am waiting anxiously for her letter. Why don’t Charlie and Ella write me just a word? I saw Dr. Janes yesterday he and all the “Third” boys are well. Ed Wells is camped next to us so I see him every day - he is fat as ever. The boys are all doing well now. I am so much obliged to you for writing me such good letters so often. I will send Father Beebe some more papers tomorrow.
We rode until we saw fifteen Rebels when we thought we would let them alone if the would us, got round five good “Seches” Cows and drove them in, and now we are having “milk” in our coffee! Our Pickets have advanced about three miles and as fast as they come up, the Enemy retire, which makes us believe that they do not mean to fight us untill they get us where they want us. Last night they spurred up a little and fired on our Picket to pay us for throwing in a few Shell’s amongst them yesterday. The “long roll” was beat and the Regiments here all turned out under arms ready for them, but they did not see fit to come. We have got a beautiful camp
I saw Judge Poland of Montpelier here to day. Tell Father if he sees him he will tell him all about how we look here for he has looked us all over
in a Chestnut grove and the boys are feeling nicely now for they do not have to work so hard now there is more troops over here to help do the Picket duty. Frank Carpenter is walking about quite well. Lieut. Gregg is doing nicely and will be here in a day or two I think. You go and see his Mother - it will do her a great deal of good. Bert DeLine got a letter from his wife tonight and she complains that she cannot get the Seven Dollars yet. the reason is Lieut Hoyt has not sent the muster roll yet to the Treasurer - it will be all right then. I answered his letter for him and told her if she wanted some little things Father Beebe would let her have them and
have an interest to do the best he can, and I know he is quite a
fellow when he sets out to be. I rather have him for a partner in the medicine business then any other one I know
she could pay him out of the Seven Dollars when she gets it. Bert is cooking and doing well and will get paid off for two months work about the 15th Nov. when he says he will send her twenty Dollars and I think he will. My affairs remain the same yet. I expect Pitken has given up the Quartermaster Genl. arrangement and will be back here this week and will try to be Brigade Quartermaster which will be just the same for me. I am on the watch for something to “turn up” for me. This is a beautiful evening and darling you cannot tell how much it makes me think of you and wish to be with you and my darling little Mollie and see her waddling around in her little short clothes all over the House. She must be a great “pet” now. Your “picture” of living again at the village agrees with my mind exactly. We will live by ourselves the next time we live in the village! That is settled – on the whole come to think it over I guess John did the best he could under the circum- stances - but why in the world dont he write me something about it? You find out if he got
the money from Lieut Hoyt and write me next time. Eli will now
Good night darling.William