p.

I was very glad to hear, by Mary, that thy
health was so good, this Spring. I suppose
by her account of her prospects, that thee too, is
engaged in Butter making, once more; I must
caution thee not to try to do too much in that
line, thyself, though, for it is not easy work
for any one and thee has done too much
of it, sometimes, I imagine. Does thee intend
to make the cheese this Summer? The one
thee sent me last has the name, with the
men, of being "the best cheese I have tasted in
the Army," but as they said the same of
the [underline]other[/underline] I guess that was all right too.
The Butter seems all of the same color &
is nice, as need be. The paper and envelopes
got somewhat damp, but none of the paper was
spoiled and only few of the envelopes. Captain
Galt has gone to Washington now with a requi-
sition for some thirty-one or two reams of writ-
ing paper and near four hundred bunches
of envelopes, for Office purposes, with other things
to match, so I can get a good supply for my
immediate wants, I think. So I have sold out
the most of what came from home, to the
boys of the Company.

[page break]

The Captain is to be gone till Monday
night & in the mean time I am all
alone, in the Office & have not much to
do as I got the monthly reports finished, for
him to carry with him. They comprised
some fifty pages of the Fools-cap size and
each required his certificate of its correct-
ness. He signed them without much
examination, trusting that they were cor-
rect, to me. They were so, but his doing
as he did shoes somewhat, of his opinion
of me. I do not say this, to boast, at all,
as "that ain't my way, you know."

The Captain seems to be a permanent
fixture, here & unless something new takes
place, I am likely to stay, as long as he
does, so you may direct to W. B. Stevens, in
Care of Captain Galt, A.Q.M. Hd. Qrs. 2d. Div.
6th Corps. Still the Army lies "quiet on the
Rappahannock and, though orders to be
ready to move, come once in a while they
do not culminate, yet; no one knows how
soon they may. I have a good horse to
ride, when the orders do come, for us to
start, no matter, in what direction.