Camp Convalisent VA

July the 12th 1863 Sunday

Got her letter and glad to hear all are well. Saw that Ida was expecting a ring so he sat right down and made another one (the first one broke), he worked from 2 PM until dark to get it done. Has given up coming home because they say they will be exchanged pretty soon. Will send her money, either in this letter or by express. Will see how much they charge and if it’s not much he’ll send it to her that way. If he doesn’t get a furlough he’ll send another ten dollars.

“Dear Clara I suppose the letters I write to my folks they don’t get for I saw a Utica Herald here with a letter advertised in it for george & I suppose it is one that I sent him about 2 weeks ago I suppose by the time you get this you will have been to the pic nic I hope you enjoyed yourself firstrate when you answer this tell me how it came off I wish I had of been there to go with you but then I see pic nics enough here every day I am getting sick of them you know what I mean drums fifes & bugles & soldiers I almost hate the sight & hearing of them.”

Adds up dollars and cents and shillings for “them stockings you spoke abot [sic]” and concludes “that would make 12 shillings for 4 Dozen & if they only paid you 11 shillings they cheated you out of one”. The pictures he had taken with Fletch, Fletch stood in the best light “but then you know he is the Best looking & maybe you look at that a great deal his folks has one just the same there is no Difference between the two.”

Don’t listen to Bill Jones, he wasn’t a gentlemen telling her such stuff, there is some talk of Co A soldiers surrendering themselves without a struggle and he doesn’t know if it’s true but he was not one of them. “As near as I can find out there was about 18 of them that run in a house & then give themselves up but I was not with them when I was takeing [sic] I was surrounded by about 200 of Rebels me and the Captain alone.” Closing.