Templeton_Letter_Folder_23__Undated

North or South East or West as far as the eye can reach and you can see nothing but the Camp fires of troops I guess you will think this a dull letter I have commenced to write this five or six times and would just get fairly at it when orders would come to [illegible] I want you to get some things ready so as to send a box to me when I write for it If the Hillstone folks and you can put in with them but as long as we move at this rate we can't get [illegible] I guess the rebels have got all my my letters. I do want to hear from home very much don't wait for me to write write often The mail goes out early to-morrow early I will put this in. I hope this letter will find you enjoying as good health as myself. Your [illegible] [illegible]

Tell [Trunkey?] I hope by the time he gets big enough there will be no rebels [illegible] shoot but if there is he will be just the boy to shoot them. Tell Emma I would like to have her and me writing & I will try & send here something in my next letter. James I [illegible] go to Hillsboro I want you to look after my [illegible] money Mary writes me that there is two months that they have recived a receipt [Trba?] Wood says he has lost $[90?] of his alotment I would like to have you & Father look after mine & know when it has come and if not see to it

Please explain it to me in your next letter. I send a few flowers to Emma which I have gathered from the garden back of the house on the hill where we surprised the rebs on the morning of the 17th.

Did you get a letter I sent you while at Annapolis containing an ambrotype? Please write wheth er youd or not. I am glad to hear the sound of thunder I think we are to have a good shower

But I must close this as the mail goes now.

Love to all the family [illegible]

Sunday June 27

I neglected closing my [illegible] to the mail [carrier?] by that means or enabled to [illegible] of your letter of June 22 I was very glad to hear from you I have not heard from home since June 18th but from a letter [illegible] [illegible] -ing here perhap you may see it if you go to Hillsboro I expect my next letter from you will be from H. Please write often Tell Emma I was greatly pleased with her letter. It was well done & I expect it will not be long before she can write a nice letter. I am trying to [misgive?] [illegible] a boy Franky has got to be & dear Emma you too have grown taller & larger I take out of my [illegible] chin your & Franky's pictures I imagine how 8 months has changed you. I am glad of my letters interest you what I write as having seen myself you can depend on sometimes [illegible] I have been deceived with rumors

Well I have written one sheet and nothing else to do but write another. We have been here in the woods two days yesterday there was skirmishing going on near [illegible] brigade had orders to be ready to march at a moments notice, yesterday afternoon there are four batteries in sight of us they are all [hamerred?] up waiting for the order to move forward.

Frank Dutton is well a tough he has lost some flesh lately.

I guess we go back when we do move for 4000 cavalery passed us yesterday, the 8th, 9th, [illegible]but 2d. Wis 3d & 4 Iowa regiments were among them. They made dust enough if it had been blown on to the rebels instead of our camp I guess it would have crushed the rebellion

[page turned upside down] I don't know as you can read my letters I write in a hurry amidst a great many disterbances Please write if [illegible] Harriman call on way

I learn (I know not how true) that Grant has stolen this job out of us that Burnside has ordered us back some time ago

Some of the [Cavelery?] yesterday asked us if we were going back to Ky. this way. pointing north east

I guess before this letter [illegible] [NH?] We are sailing north for Johnson has retreated I don't know of much more to write. I guess I must stop & go to cleaning my gun so if we do get into a shooting scrape it will be [illegible] go. I have a grand good rifle I find it carries a ball staight to the mark & the ball will bore into a hard tree several inches. If any thing of interest in NH. papers about the [9th?] please send to me I send you a paper James sent me It will cost but one [cts?] to try the experiment. Emma eat a lot of strawberries for me

[page turned upside down] and I will eat a big lot of blackberries for you.

Willard