Harrisonburgh VaOct 2d 1864My dear Wife,

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I received your letter the date of which I have forgotten as I burned it as soon as I read it, but it related to the Piano. I shall leave the whole matter to yourself. I received your letter this morning, the first I have had for a long time.

We have had very stiring events in the past week and accomplished great results I wish I could relate to you every thing and have you see it as I saw it. But that would be impossible. The destruction of life limb and property has been beyond description and we are still destroying every thing in the Valley. It looks very hard but as the products of the Valley as a source of support to the rebs, it becomes a [] necessity to burn an destroy. So far a kind providence has shileded me from harm though I has been repeatedly exposed to the nistles of death. We cannot be too thankful for there favors, and I hope I am not unmindful of my indebtedness to the great pressure of our health and life. It is my aim to do my duty to our fellow

soldiers, and to go whenever tduty calls me trusting to him who seeks our [] for a safe delivering from the dangers of battle.

It gives me great pleasure to hear that you are all well, and that our little ones are so kind to you. You know that I have always felt a strong desire that our children should cling to you as their best and trust friend and it gives me great pleasure that my efforts have not been wholey futile. I can endure the hardships of life, and the disappointment is accumulating the drops of business with a smile of satisfaction if I can know that my dear children can and will make their dear mother happy in her old age. In this will consist my own happyness when age lays his withering hand on me. I wish you to instill into their minds that they cannot give me greater pleasure or give my greater happiness by any other menas.

This is Sunday though you would not know it by any thing associated with the army. Our ears are saluted every few minutes by the heavy roar of artilery, but a short distance in our front. But to see our men you would think they were in their peaceful homes amone the green hills of Vt

so far as any anxiety or can influences them. They eat think and sleep as uncommandly as if they were in the bosoms of their own families.

And if the order should come for them to fall in to attack the enemy, they would spring to their arms with their hearty cheers, thoguh they will know that some of their number would go out to return no more forever.

I feel that my Helen does not write to me as often as she might or ought. I think if she know how much pleasure I experienced in reading her letters she would gratify me oftener. I dont think she means to neglect her old Father, but she has been a little indifferent.

We are to be paid off to day but I do not know how soon I can send the money to you as our communication is too uncertain to trust my hard earned money to the mail. But you shall have it at the very earliest opportunity. Pay what you can towards the house beside what you need for your own use let me kind friends whistle. The time will come when I can deal with them myself.

I am extremely sorry that you should be annoyed with these matters, but I think that they

you will do any thing to avoid any thing like attachments &c. But you never mind, I am not the first man that has been placed in like circumstances nor shall I be the last, if I to get home again. Well we wont mar our present enjoyment in consuming with each other, by harboring a thought of these uncalled for annoyances.

Tell Kittie I thank her for her precious love and give her mine and kiss her for me, the dear little child, and remember me to my dear boy Jacob. Tell him Father sends him his love, and that I am glad he is a good boy to his dear Mother. When I get where it will be safe to send send little Joseph's picture I shall do so, as I am afraid of losing it.

Now accept the increasing love of

Your affectionate husbandJ.C. Rutherford

Mrs H. W. Rutherford
Newport Vt
Thank you for the stamps