Letter 3

January 1864 Woodville, Alabama Camp Proctus

Dear Wife,

I forgot in my last letter to tell you to tell Nancy (John Adams’ sister) that when I got to the ________ to send the paper - to her as could not get a stamp so I had it franked and will try and pay the postage next time. Your coloring I think is very nice if not too costly and I guess not. I wish I knew how to color some of our blue into a brown or black. How would extract of Logwood

or Bicromuate of Potash do for a black how could it be kept from washing out? Maple bark I guess would do for black.

When you make a figure 5 you leave off the top sometimes so it looks like 4 or I some- __ this way. It bothered me once or twice and I thought I would tell you.

You ask about living in Burlington, Iowa town. I think I would work in the Machine Shop there a year of two and send the children to school and let G.E. learn a trade, and perhaps take a few boarders and perhaps keep a store, and perhaps let it all go. I think of a good many things to keep alive and write so sometimes but shall want your opinion before I decide on any change for the family. You know we are one and most not _____ one without the other part can ___________ .

How did Charley and Benjamin _________ out at ____ killing their pig? Have you got any more word from your cousin out West? I will give him a good price if he will do the work. Don’t be afraid of writing to me and me dead. I am worth a dozen dead men yet. I can stand six times as much as at Camp McKeon at Mt. Pleasant.

I was out on picket last night. It rained about half the time in showers. I rolled up in a woolen blanket and put a gun blanket over me and laid down on a handful of corn stalks that I broke down and slept like a top. Don’t see but I feel as well today as if I had slept in a feather bed with you. I would like to try that though before being too sure. We were ordered to put out all fires at night so the rebs could not know where we stood but I put out what our officers could see and had a good fire on the side of a big log next to the rebel side. I rather they would shoot at me than to freeze to death. They don’t hit often.

You have asked twice about John Conncell? He has been well but was shot through at Ringgold pretty much like J. Q. was but he’s getting well. He had a book of mine in his pocket and it got all bloody. I sent it home with ___________ oroder. Conncell and ___________ are pretty thick and a good deal alike. They get drunk - gamble - and keep such company as Mrs. Wilson. I don’t tie to such men much. Does Johnny Q keep well? I wish I could see the little fellow. I don’t see how the rebs can keep up the war much longer. Hope they will have sense enough to quit soon. You say you are afraid I won’t tell you if I see hard times. Don’t be uneasy for I try to tell you the truth and all the truth worth telling. We get wet and cold of course at times but not often. We get enough to eat almost always but have been short sometimes for a few days. Careless ones get out when no need of it at times. We chased old Bragg till we got pretty short but no other time for months. We get tired of hard bread, pork and coffee, pork and hard tack and coffee and coffee, hard tack and sowbelly. When we get a chance we have to spend some money for a pie or a loaf of bread or something for a change. We try to make enough for all

that and send home all our wages. Don’t be afraid of my not telling the bad as well as the good. I can trust you.

We have lost our knapsack and all our things. I lost my picture and Ira and John Q. I want more taken when the weather gets so you can go comfortably. I want you to go to Burlington and get all hands taken. Charley and Ben in one picture and Ira and Johnny Q in another if you can for the other side or get yours and Janes together and put in a looking glass on the other side so that I can see you all and myself too. If you cannot get Ira and Johnny

together and you must get you and Johnny in one and Jane and Charley in one and Ben and Ira in one and a looking glass in the 4^th side of the case. I will send the money to pay for them if you have not enough to spare but I want you to send them as soon as you have good enough weather and not hurry off in bad weather.

January 9^th I got two letters from you last night and two others and saw some papers. We were mighty glad to hear from you. I will answer yours soon perhaps today. I guess I have lost a dollar or two that I sent to New York, but may not be out all night as the snow hinders the mails. We have had almost snow enough to track a cat and it has laid snow two days but will go today I guess.

You will have to burn rails if you cannot get wood. Burn the poorest ones if you have to burn any. I am afraid you don’t act right about school matters. If a teacher does scold, you ought not to let the children speak again of this or they will not try to learn then. More in 2^nd letter.

J. A. Dennis