Oct. the 11th 1861
Camp Pearpointe
Dear Wife,
I recived your letter number 3 and was glad to lern you was wel a gane and am happy to say tha we was all wel when it reached us and still hoping those few lines may find find you injoying the same. Gods blessing you. Say that some person had writin home that we had ben in a fight, that is not so, and I don’t think we will be none soon, for the Rebels retrete as fast as our forces advance and they will be be a long time a coming to gether in that way of douing. We are not any nearer to them than we was when on the other side of the river. Our numbers is incrasing evry day, thare for the grate danger that you write about is all in your own imagination, therefor you need not bother your self about that any more and you must not beleave all the reports that you here, for if you was here, and would belive all such reports, there would be no room for the truth. Evry day that pasis there is hundreds of such reports flyin threw the camp. At first I thought they was trew, but now I giv no credit to any thing until it is about a weeke old or I mus know it to be a fact without a chance of dout. Wel Liz, you want to know why I told you to direct your own letter? Wel, this is the reason why I think a person that can write a letter can and ought to direct one and that you might as wel do that your self, as be beholding to other people for that wich you can do your self. I want you to write and let me know how Drenin uses you and if he dos not do better than he has ben doing. I will write and lett him know what me and all the rest thinks of his conduct in that affaire, for from what I can lern, he is trying to keep as mutch as possible of all them and if he dos not concur to the mark, there will be an account to settle when we return home a gane. You can tel Wesethat I congratulate for her luck and that I am glad to here that she has run the gantlet safe once more and that I hope that she will live to see Jim come home a gane and that he and she will have the good fortune have a half a dozen more and that they may all live to injoy the liberty that there father is about to fight for. Tell Mother that I intend to answer her letter as soon as I gotit, but I am not in a hurry, therefor she need not send it before writing wel. The news is scarce at present and I don’t like to write more reports a therefor you must excuse this poor letter, for there is not mutch to write about. Giv my love to all inquiring friends and take your own share and giv the balance to the children, I remane yours trewly,
A B Penman
I am on gard while I write, but as good luck, I am on the rezerve, there for I have nothing to do but write. This is a very lazy life to live. Plenty to eat and nothing to do.
