General Post Office
November 2nd, 1862
Dear Kate,
This finds me still at the post office and enjoying myself as well as can be expected. I have been looking for a letter from you for three or four days in vain. I think sometimes that some of you are sick and it makes me have all sorts of dreams. But I am in hopes that it is because you have so much visiting to do that you do not get time to write very often. I do not hear from home as often as I should. It seems as though if I were there and they were here I would write oftener than they do, but perhaps I should do the same.
John had a letter from Beck. She seems to be in trouble. Ludington is out and has sold some of the cattle and Minnie is sick I think perhaps you had better get through your visiting and go home on her account. She did not say anything about you, but you would be a great deal of comfort for her in her trouble. She thinks some of going into one room of Crouchs house this winter.
We have been mustered for pay but when it will come or how much we shall draw I cannot tell anything about. If we draw two months, I shall send it to you to pay Laura with. If but one, guess I will send it home. Cannot tell yet what I shall do...
My faith is strong that this war will be closed by next spring but we cannot tell any thing about it. The army of the (sic) has commenced a forward movement and I have faith to believe that they will do something this time, but perhaps I have to much faith. But I think that there is going to be some works this time.
There is a good many sick in our company and George E Torey of Ulysses has died. That makes four died scince we came here and about 20 in the hospital. I tell you we do not look like much like fight just now but I think the men are to blame a good deal for being sick as much as they are. They stuff themselves with grease and every thing that is unhelthy and they will not take any trouble to wash their persons nor clouths. Its no wonder to me they are sick.
The other day I had the diareah quite bad. I did not eat any breakfast. Went to a bathing saloon and took a good warm bath. Paid 25 cts for it and was all right the next day. I have not taken any medicine yet and do not think I shall right away, if there is any way to get around it..
Our first Lieut is rather down now days. He was not very well and went to a doctor and got a prescription. Got the medicine and took so large a dose that he liked to have died. He came to the post office the night I went after the sergeant. I think in fifteen minutes more he would have went for it. The stuff he took was American belledona, a deadly poisen. It was rather of a narrow chance for him. I tell you I think its doubtfull if he gets over it right away, but he may in a little while.
I wrote a letter to Mother some time ago. I think she did not get it or else she would have wrote to me. Perhaps she will before long. I should like to hear from her first rate.
You have no idea how much there is down at this place. There is trains loading and unloading all the time. There is hundreds of barrels of pork ,beef, rice, sugar, coffee, beans, peas, potatoes and thousands of boxes of hard bread. You can form no idea any thing about it and every thing goes off as smooth as though there was not more than a dozen lbs in all.
You spoke about cold weather. We have none of that here as yet but two little frosts. As long as we stay in the city you need not borrow any trouble about me, as I shall keep dry and warm the most of the time. I do not have to stand on guard at all. I see that the guard is changed at the right time and that every thing is kept in good order and goes along smothly. There is so much going on here that one cannot get very homesick if wanted to. We are on the busiest street in this city except the Pa Ave.
Tell the folks that I should like to have them all wright to me if they get time. I have nothing more to wright this time I will close by subscribing myself your afectionate husband,
Bert
My love to all. Kiss the boys lots of times every day for me, for I should like to, that's sure.
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