Camp GriffinDec 4th 1861My own sweet angel

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I rec’d yr splendid long letter last eve, read after after I went to bed. It was a glorious letter & you are a glorious wife. My own beauty I worship you my love. I am writing this in bed this morn. Yr comforter is the best thing I ever saw. Lt. Fayban came over yesterday with the boots & tobacco. You are such a good thoughtful wife my love. Tell Alley am greatly obliged. Think he is a pretty good judge of the weed. Capt Atherton has gone home for 3 weeks. Dont you wish I would be sick? [      ] says I will get up a sickness before the winter is over. I think so myself. My boys name is Oliver William, no, William Oliver. Where should he sleep but in my tent. He gets up before I do, builds a fire, blacks my boots, gets the wash bowl & water ready, & then goes out to feed the horse & I get up. I have sent him off after a postage stamp, now, while I write

this. I have a nice little camp stove which warms my tent up in about a minute. It has been quite cold here, water froze in my front tent about half an inch, but it is pleasant days. We drill every day. Col. Hyde is still a member of the court marshall. The Capts. recite to me in Tactics every night now. I had a new sabre belt given me yesterday. Am going to buy me a new sabre after next pay day - such as the horse guards have. My old line sword is too light scabbard for a horseman, & the sabre I use now is a borrowed one which I dont like. Now my sweet love, I must get up & I should think you might kiss me first. Was’nt that night of the fire works a pretty good time! My beautiful wife I do love you. I dont know how I could live without you. I did’nt think an absent wife could do so much & be of so much comfort to a man. Yes, I own my library. I shall soon be wholly out of debt, but I shall be as economical as possible still so we can have some money to start with when I am through here.

Yr own husbandWheelock

I do love my darling wife fondly