Camp Tenley. Seapt the 21. AD 1861
Dear Wife, I recived your your letter of the 19 ult and was glad to here form you all being in good helth and it found us all well. Thank you for his goodness to us all and still hopping these few lines may find you all injoying the same gods blessing. Wee was out on genral parade to day and seen McCellen and staf. He is a splendid looking man of a bout five feet ten inches high. Rusle, the riter to the London Times was in the trane that was with him. He is not quite so good looking. Thare was sevrel men of ditention that I cannot mind there names at present. It was a …of the Pensylcana. The troops they look well, but there was some had their new uniforms on which loock splendid. Thare is som talk of our regiment getting new close before long. That will make a grate change in the apperiance of the regiment. Lizz, I was very mutch plased to here that you and Mother was pleased with the likeness that I sent you and that you differed dispute. Capt AG Oliver came to camp yesterday and I recived my watch and knapsacks as you called it and there was a box with tobacco and cegars in it directed to Wat and myself and a small package to John Prescott. There was no name. How they as to be used, we would like to know hou gave them, but ever it might be, wee are thankfull to them for this favour. You say that Jerry Brubaker has writin home that the twelfth was in a fight that was not so. I think that was a mistake in the reading of his letter from the fact of the accout that was in the papers the next day after wee was called out. Thare was seven men killed on the Union pickets and I think this was what he was writing and called them our men. You have wrote sevrel times about the paper that you sent me. Well, I recived it and the 25 cents from John McTire, but when I got it, I understood that Ab had sent it to me, tharefor I never said any thing to you a bout it to you. I wrote to Ab three times, but never recived answer. Then I thought it time to quit. I would have told you sooner, but I wanted to see what Ab would say about it first. In a letter that I got from you requested to know how our letters csted us so mutch. Thay only cost 3 ct for stamps, 1 for paper, 1 invelope. If I told you more it was a mistake in me writing or you in reading. I have not bought very meny at any price for them. You sent me and what Ab gave me has ben verry near all that I neded. Thare was a lot more paper and invelopes in the box that Capten brought us yesterday, whitch will do us for some time to cum. I have not seen Bill or Tim Tim yet. I think he will be over some of these days. I must quit for the present. I remane yours.
A Penman.