Camp Parole VA

August 10th 1863

He went down to the Potomac River and got a mess of freshwater clams and fried them up, they went first rate. Wishes she could have been there this summer to get berries, they were so thick the soldiers couldn’t pick half. “I could of picked 12 quarts of them long Black Berries in a coup of hours & huckle Berries I have never known what huckle Berries were untill [sic] I Came here I have had my fill of them this summer oh how I have wished I coul of sent you and Ida some they looked so nice.” Has not gotten paid yet. Talk that they won’t get exchanged at all or not in a good while anyway. If they don’t he will try to get home. Mr Place wanted I should ask Mally if she would be offended if he should ask her to hold a corespondence [sic] with her he says he has no one to write to in Utica & would like some one to hold a corespondence [sic] with in that place.” Tom came over to this camp for 2 or 3 days then yesterday went to the Regt: “I Pitied jim for he did not look fit for to go he just got a letter from Julia with her Picture in it he wanted me to write an answer But he did not have time Our Regt numbers now about 190 men & there has been 4 Regts Cnsolidated into it this is what I call one of the greatest losses of the war what has become of all our men I am sure I cant tell & I Doubt if the Col can tell there is no news so I will come to a close”.

[A poem in different handwriting on different paper with different spelling was folded with this one but probably is unrelated.]

“Selling heaven”

Go bring me said the dying fair

With anguish in her tone

There costly robes and jewels rare

Go bring them every on [sic]

They strew’d them on her dying bed

These robes of princly [sic] cost

Father with bitterness she said

For these my soul is lost

With glorious hopes once was blest

Nor feared the gaping tomb

With heaven already in my hart [sic]

I look’d for heave to come

I heard a saviour [parding?] voice

My soul was fill’d with peace

Father you bought me with these toys

I barter’d heaven for these

[p.2 reverse]

Tak [sic] them they are the price of blood

For them I lost my soul

For them must bear the wrath of god

While [careless?] ages roll

Remember when you look on these

You [sic] daughters fearful doom

That she her pride and [thin?] to please

[appears unfinished?]