Camp near Falmouth VA

January 31st, 1863 (letter says 1862)

Replying to letter he received from her last night although he wrote yesterday. Went early this morning to the Colonel and applied for a pass to go to Acquia Creek and this time was not refused. “I shall start early tomorrow morning to go there if I am well and alive although it be a hard days work for me I guess I can stand it I suppose it is about 30 miles there and back and such going as it is now will make it seem like fifty so you can tell Julia that Tom shall have his things after all I have put the things in 2 haversacks and one on each shoulder I will go trudgeing [sic] along through the mud.” Has sent back 2 checks by Mr. Deming, one for Joseph Corrigan his tent mate for his aunt Miss Margaret Corrigan, and a pocket book with musket caps and cartridges taken at Fredericksburgh.

“This morning I was made a fourth sargent [sic] in our Company so you see I will be releived [sic] from a great deal of Extra Duty besides getting More Pay my wages now are 17 dollars a month. I am sorry you feel so bad every time there is talk of a Battle although I suppose you cant be blamed for it if it had not of been for the mud I think there would have been a great many of us slaughtered by this time but keep up your Courage and Hope for the Best. Gen Hooker has not been in any Engagement lately at all and I cant see what the Papers took it from and you spoke about fletch and the Barber Business tell Sarah I have not bought any of them tools and he fletch Denies the Statement of saying he wanted six dollars for them he has not sold them to anybody although most of them is gone I can’t say where we never went into the Barber Business at all because we never had time.”