Camp GoverDec 13th 1862My dear Wife

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I was very much surprised to learn from Mr Newcomb that you did not get my letters. I have written to you every week and some times oftener since I have been out here, and [    ] do so always. He told me how bad you felt about it &c. It made me feel very bad.

We had a sad time last night. Gen Newcomb died and it was disturbing to wtiness his Fathers agony. But his Father will tell you all about it for he promised to go and see you when he got here. He started this morning.

When I wrote you last I was having the jaundice and you may believe that for 3 or 4 days I felt very mean, was off duty two days. when our

surgeon was taken very sick, and Dr Clark was at Kockville on duty which throwed the whole [      ] on my hands. Simply talking care of the sick is not all the duties but all requisitions, orders, and signing reports and other business matters have to pass through my hands, and it leaves very little time for me to be sick or do any thing else. But I get through it [    ] and grow fat as it. I have gained 14th since October and I have got such a big that my cloths are all too small for me. So you see I am not in a condition to be alarmed about.

Now I do not want you to lot too much upon it but I think now that there is some chance for me to get a furlough some time in Jan or Feb. I shall try hard for it.

You can see how much chance I have to write. I commenced this after dinner

and have not had hardly a minutes time since and it is now late in the evening. The Surgeon says I shall have a chance to lay still a while for all this. My dear I am too tired to think to night. I had a letter from S.W. Parker the other day and it was full of news. Give bit was that an his had been added to the house of Turn, & he said that all the women said it looked like me. Well all I have got to say in the matter is, that if it looks like me, it is a good looking child and the mother need not be ashamed of it, and you may tell Mr P - that I claim all the good looking children. Tell Mrs Turn that I congratulate her upon her happy delivery and hope it may live to Bless her old age. Turn must be highly dilighted with it. Tell P. that I will write to him just as soon as I can get time to do him justice.

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I was very much disappointed in not getting a letter from you yesterday My heart yearns to be with you and when I do not hear from you it is a great disappointment. And Helen has not answered my long letter to her yet. If she but knew how a letter from her made me happy away off here so far from home I think she would not delay another day without writing. I will send you that plan in a few days. We dont get any money yet, but I am as [    ] off as any of them. I am going to make a practice in the future to make notes of little incidents that I want to tell you so when I write I can give you more interesting letters. You must keep up good courage, for I do believe that hight prospects and better days and storm for us. Give my love to our dear children and accept an undying love for yourself

Your HusbandJ. C. Rutherford