Convalesint [sic] Camp Elaxandria [sic] VA

Sunday May 31 1863

Got her letter with money . Is well except for bad cold that will wear off soon in this hot weather. Hopes she is better than she last was with the children when she last wrote. “Oh how I do pity you to think you are all alone now and in that old shanty I know it is not fit for human people to live in may god Comfort you in your loneliness. I shall try hard to come home for it seems as if it would kill me to Go back to the Regt without seeing you and my little ones.” Yesterday he got a pass to go to Fort Corcoran with Fletch and they visited old Camp Seward which doesn’t look anything like it used to. “We saw Billy Kirkland Charly Kirklands Brother and Givens and lots of Utica boys they are haveing [sic] a nice time of it they are liveing [sic] as Comfortable as they would at home almost they have their good beds to lay on Chairs to sit on and table to Eat off of and they have been here now almost two years. Some of the soldiers are haveing [sic] very Easy times in this war But our regt has had it hard enough since they have been out they Cant say the 146 is 4^th of July soldiers for they have played their share of the play since they have been here. Lengthy closing, will close because he wants to go to Church this afternoon. P.S. As of today he has been in the service nine months and nine days and has 52 dollars coming to him including 3 months of sergeant’s pay at 17 dollars a month since the last of February. The paymaster has been ordered to pay them off and they expect to be paid next week.