Arlington Heights, Camp Seward

October 27th Monday 1862

[letterhead of woman in flag dress with feather hat helping man in billowing pants, probably Zouave, laying on his pack]

Letter No. 9 Received 3

Got her letter and Malvina’s. Woke up day before lying in two inches of water in tent. It was so cold they could hardly stand, “I never saw colder weather in the middle of winter than I saw this morning”. Took quite a tramp looking for something to lie on and found a picket fence which they tore up and made a floor for the tent. Everything was wet and they couldn’t build a fire so went without breakfast but it warmed up “… so to night I and fletch are writing quite comfortable tell Maley I delivered her mesages [sic] imeadiately [sic] after I got her letter and tell her not to let that be the last… I want to see you so bad again I dont know what to do…” All are getting better except John McGuire: “I think he will not stand it long if he stays here his breath smells so bad he drives every one away from him I think it is Consumption… I forgot to tell you fordis Phelps came in Camp Handcuffed and alive yesterday he was caught in baltimore and brought here there has been some desertions since we got here but I think they will be caught before long. Tell Julia Tom is well and looks good.”