Camp GriffinJany Feb 2ndMy own darling wife

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We had to walk up fr Washington last eve. & I felt rather too tired to write, besides my tent was full of officers all the eve. Henry has come to the conclusion that the sacred soil is mud. Says that with all his experience in camping he had formed no correct idea of our situation. He thinks if you at the North could see us here you would say nothing more about moving forward or find fault about our good times at govern- ment expense. I reckon there is not much danger of his enlisting now. I fear we should not get much of an army if they came out here a few days before enlisting. We found things in rather bad shape in the tent; my nig. had worn out about all the clothes I left & cut up so that I set him adrift to-day. This has been a long day to me, my darling, the longest I ever spent in

Virginia. It was so hard to leave you again & after such a good time. What a happy week I spent with you. It was worth a life time such as some men have, it seems to me. It is very hard to be away fr you & in such business. Yet my angel, I doubt if our marriage will ever afford me more enjoyment than it does now. Of course I shall be much happier when I get home with you, but I shall have many other enjoyments then, whereas now you constitute about the only pleasure I have. The thought of your devotion a faithfulness, or love which includes all else, is a source of untold happiness to me. It gives an aim to my life, and an enthusiasm to my efforts. I have learned to cover up my feelings when I leave home to undertake new voyages in life, but I have not learned to crush out the regrets I feel. nor would I wish to. My thoughts & heart return to you continually. Your efforts & sacrifices for me my own wife will be a great reward for the labor of a life in your behalf. How all my plans are formed with reference to you.

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You are a part of everything that I do. You add a keener pleasure to all my successes. It often seems as tho, I must not fail on your account As a fond, true, faithful wife, darling, you will be an invaluable aid to me. No one else does or ever will know much about me really. Love me truly & I shall be happy. Write me some good letters. Do not mind what they say about yr writing every day. Yr letters always make me happier & better. Their influence is the most elevating of anything about me, & this life is degenerating enough at best. Mrs. Crain & Mrs. Hyde are here yet, unable to move out, for the mud. I have got to go out as Field Officer of the Day to-morrow. Shall I write to N. Chelmsford! We have a new Chaplain, he made a good fourth July speech to day. Good night my own darling wife.

Yr devoted husbandW. G. Veazey