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and you can come together. She lives in Newport Vt. but we shall have plenty of time to make all necessary arrangements when we learn what luck we have. You will want a “riding skirt” so you could ride Horse back here, but I expect you can fetch the one Katie used to have. I have got one of the nicest little Horses for you, you ever saw. I got traded and got him down at Offutt’s X Roads. He is only four years old but was broke for a young Miss Offutt to ride, and she blamed her Father very much for letting him go. Johnny will make him get down on his knees, lay down flat as though he was dead and several other little antics. I keep him for my favorite Saddle Horse, and when I have my hard riding to do in the mud, (which I do have considerable) I take my other “Old dun Horse” which is a very good Saddle Horse but not very fancy. There was a Captain’s wife in the 14th N.H. came over visiting one day our ladies in camp and called on me with the rest, and was telling “How much she did like to ride Horse back” and wanted to know if I did not buy a “bay colt” off

Mr Offutt down to “Camp Grover” I told her I did. She then went on to tell that she was boarding there at the time, and “how bad the poor girl did feel because she lost her favorite Saddle Horse,” and finally what a “splendid ladies horse he was,” so “nice and easy to ride” &c &c, but I was so stupid I did not take the hint after all that, and did not ask her to come over some day and ride him, want I stupid? Well I am keeping him in good trim for my darling to ride, and if you do not ride him out here I hope you may have a good time riding him at home, for I shall take good care of him and if neither of us get hurt will bring him home when I get through here, and “Old dun” with him, and wont we have grand times riding? Oh! how I look forward to such a day, when the war will be over and the country at peace again. Oh! what a blessed day to them that live to see it. I recd by last mail a nice little letter from “Sister Katie” but I guess will not answer it until Sunday. Oh! Mary Jane she does write me good letters and they make me better and it does me good to have her say that she, you – her Father, all, pray for me especially every day. She is a “little angel on earth”

Well I declare if I have not got to the bottom of the fourth page so quick, and when I commenced, had a good mind to commence on a half sheet of paper, because I had “nothing to write” This is something like “nothing to wear” I heard yesterday that Capt Dillingham had another bad turn night before last but was better yesterday. I am afraid he is going to fail up in the Military, but it will be to bad for he is a great favorite with all but especially with me. I love him like a brother. Henry Bradly is still doing well and will get off next week I think home. All others doing well. The snow has been laying on the ground for the last week just enough to make it white and today more is falling which looks something like winter. I saw nothing like it last winter still we cannot complain for we have had a very mild winter so far. I expect to get a good letter from my darling wife tonight when the Mail comes in. My health is tip top yet. then I guess this will do very well for “a few lines”

So good by darling wife
As ever your husband William