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1862 Camp near Berling Md. Nov 2d Dear Mother I Recd you letter last evening with a great deal of pleasure and two papers and the Supporter. I am glad you sent that I believe it is a good thing I dont know how much time I shall have to write this morning. We may stop here today and may be off in less than an hour. We have had some hard marching for the last week but I have stood it well. Since I last wrote home we have spent another day at our old camp at Downsville. It was there (last Thursday eve) that I Recd a letter from Henry containing you Picture. You dont know how glad I was to see it.

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It is a good one, as natural as either of the others and I prize them more than anything else you have sent. I am sorry you are feeling so much anxiety for me. I wish you could know how well I am feeling this morning. I wish I could know that you was feeling as hopefull this morning as I do that we shall yet meet again. That the happy day though it may yet look far off will surely come in Gods time. We are haveing the finest of weather now and I feel in such good spirits with enough of evrything to make me comfortable More I think of it I will give Henry credit for the last Dollar which he sent me. The money which you have sent me has done me

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a greatdeal of good. I can think of to write but I [thu?][crossed out] here orders to pack up so I must close Yours truely Rufus

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Nov 14th 62 Camp near New Baltimore Md Dear Mother Luke says he hardly knows what to write and that is about my case, so I tell him we will write a home letter without trying to tell much news.

I Recd your letter of Nov 2d day before yesterday and just now one from Father and Henry full of good news. My 2d long shirt came with Mothers letter day before yesterday so I have now got both the long ones and and the undershirt which you bought for me. They are all good. Nobody but Mother could have sent me such good ones so soft and warm. You say you dont know which to send another boughten

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one or one that you can make for me. I dont think this will reach you in season to help you deside but if it should I should hardly know what to say for either will be as good as possible so I want to leave it all with Mother. We have got plenty of clothing now, have had our share of snow and rain but the weather has been very fine for the last 3 days. I dont call myself quite well yet. My Leg are a little weak and my appetite not very good but if you will promise not to feel too much anxiety for me I think I will soon tell you I am as well as ever. The Doctor is very kind to me now and I assure

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you I have friends here that will not see me suffer. We are encampt in the woods on the side of a hill. We came here last Sunday. I dont know how long we shall stop here. Luck and I build our tent together as usual have got a good tight one plenty of dry oak leaves and 2 good Rubber Blankets and each a new thick wollen Blanket. Luke has done most all of the work for us both since we have been here. He is very kind to me. I think I feel better tonight than I have for some time at any reate. I feel very cheerfull. I dont write any more now for

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Luke is going to the office with his and will take mine. So good night to Mother and all the loved ones at home. P.S. Send me another dollar and a pr of mittens. I will write again soon.

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Nov 22d 1862 Carver Hospital Washington D.C. Dear Mother When I wrote to Henry last Tues morning I thought I should have written home again before this time but to tell the truth I have felt so little like it that I have been puting it off from day to day hopeing

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to feel better. I am not dangero sick of that I feel very confident but I am very weak and my appetite most of the time very poor. I feel my weakness mostly in my legs though I have not near my natural strength anywhere. I have no pains in my legs body or head to speak of. [Diarihea?] (though not very bad at present) weakness and loss of appetite (No cold to speak of) seems to be the sum of my ails. Though I have no

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doubt but the Darihea that I have had upon me now something over two Months is the cheif cause of my weakness a part of the time it has been pretty bad.

Sunday Morning Nov 23d Dear Mother Darkness overtook me last night before I could finish my letter and I have too much yet to write to think of finishing before the Mail leaves this morning so I will write what I can and then continue to write more hopeing to have another ready to mail for you tomorrow morning. I am feeling a little better this morning. My appetite was a little better than usual. Three small Potatoes Two spoonfull of Rice Puding and a very small piece of Bread and Butter was all I wanted

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I would have had a cup of coffee with Milk and Sugar but I prefered cold water. Shall have tea for Dinner and Supper. I must close now or I shall miss this mornings mail. It may be several days before I can write to Luke so I should like to have his folks tell him where I am so that he can send me whatever may have gone to the Regt for me Yours Affectionately Rufus

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1862 Carver Hospital Wash D.C Nov23d Dear Mother It is geting rather late in the afternoon but I shall try to write you a few lines. I have so much to write I hardly know where to begin but I something suppose ^ concerning my feelings will be most pleasing to you. I cannot tell you that I can perceive much difference in my feelings from what there has been for the last few days. That weakness which makes it so disagreeable for me to move and the continual faintnes at the stomach which seems to say more food but when I begin to eat it says no I dont want it. Now there are sometimes exceptions to this. Last Friday noon

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we have salt fish and Potatoes for dinner. We had nothing to put with it or on it. It was fish and Potato. I didnot feel very hungry when I went to the table but thought it would taste good and surely it did and I eat a very hearty Dinner and I felt better for it all the afternoon. This is one thing that makes me think if I could have just what I wanted to eat it would be better for me than Medicine.

Wednes Nov [26?]th Dear Mother. I Recd a letter from Henry yesterday containing the Money and another this afternoon. I was very glad to see the Money as I was out and had washing out to the amount of 33 cts and I was sadly in need of the Barber. I cannot tell

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you that I am any better yet. I am not of the same opinion I was when I was writeing to you last Sunday in regard to my diet. I have since learned that it maters but little what I eat I have to have a sick spell after it. The Doctor is giveing me Iodine 30 [dups?] pr day and a mixture of [?][crossed out] [nine?][crossed out] Quinine 3 teaspoonfuls and 3 white pouders [Majnecid?] I think. You dont know Mother how good it seems to me to get here. I am in good quarter now, have a good Bed that I can lie down upon when I please though it will compare very poorly with the comforts of home. I should lke to be at home with you a while. I think I should

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get well a greatdeal faster but I think it will be very doubtfull. I will now say a few words about my diet and by that time it will be too dark to write. Twice a day I have Boiled stake and Baked potato if the cooks or nurses dont forget it. Bake Rice Puding 2 spoonsful or less when I dont have the stake. Always as much tosted Bread and Butter as I want but I want but very little. I Roast Two Sour apples on the stove almost every day they relish as well as anything. I must stop now. I think I shall write oftener. It is not so hard for me today as I thought. Yours Affectionately Rufus

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1862 Camp near Berling Md. Nov 2d Dear Mother I Recd you letter last evening with a great deal of pleasure and two papers and the Supporter. I am glad you sent that I believe it is a good thing I dont know how much time I shall have to write this morning. We may stop here today and may be off in less than an hour. We have had some hard marching for the last week but I have stood it well. Since I last wrote home we have spent another day at our old camp at Downsville. It was there (last Thursday eve) that I Recd a letter from Henry containing you Picture. You dont know how glad I was to see it.

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Nov 25th 62 Carver Hospital Wash D.C. Dear Father

I have just Recd your letter of Tues 25th containing the Money. The undershirt didnot come today. I shall expect it tomorrow. I cannot tell you that I am yet any better and I am not worse. My weakness continues about the same and appetite very poor. Diarilea sometimes very full then again almost well. Mr [Tufts?] has just left me. He has been the Dr of my ward and says I shall have an examination in a few days and wants I should let him know the result as soon

     Saturday Morning 29th

after as possible. You have done a big thing in the Hog line this year. I hope I shall be at

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home with a good appetite to help you eat some of him but I have great doubts about it. This is geting to be a more comfortable place than it was when I first came here. Ten or twelve noisy fellows have been sent to their Regts and we have two new nurses in exchange for two very poor ones which took their leave yesterday morning. Thing are much more comfortable here now. I must not write much more this morning as the Mail will leave soon I think I shall write to Luke today to send my description Papers

Yours truly Rufus