1863-03-09_Letter-A_Alvord-to-MyDearWife

Stonemans Switch Va H^d Qurs 35th [Mark?] March 9, 1863

My Dear wife

I have this moment eat the first supper from the Box, crackers, butter, Ham, coffee, jelly, or what is it?—Figs—tea cakes all for supper! Not "all' in the box, but to my stomachs content—Quite a change from tough beef & hard tack—Every thing is in first rate order, except one side of one of the lemons—[unclear] besides the a-bove—Dried or smoked beef (a big piece) codfish (very pure)—cheese (good)—tea, salt, pepper, mustard, horse raddish, spoons knives & forks—sauce pan—sugar, candlestick, &c &c I guess, for something new turned up quite to the bottom—a very "Pandoras box" only goodies instead of "plagues" flew out, I am much obliged to you—I will

[Sideways:] Will try to keep my promise about finishing the letter and will write the children

try to [enjoy?] all you have sent [though?] [past?] [unclear] of it [in?] [loneliness?] Since if the old knives & forks [and?] the [unclear] [unclear] [pot?] I recognize. They look so [homesh--?] as almost to make me homesick—Your letter too of 5^th inst came today. I cannot answer it this evening. I am too full of —applebutter do you call ^it—^ that juicy stuff? Tomorrow, if i get over my high tonight, I will finish for you a long letter which was begun some days since.

I dont think any letters have miscarried, except the two which stopped at Aquia Creek. Now, have I any idea that Boxes are lost, what makes you all think so of late? ^Because I complain of receiving so few?^ I have four large ones of reading matter with yours this evening—and last week I had six—I cannot, (tell Mr Broughton) acknowledge them separately as he does not now send to me the [unclear]—O dear! Good night J. W. A.

[sideways on page:] P.S. Morning—I have survived with various [imaging?] through the night & have been lecturing my boys here at breakfast on "eating too much." We have agreed that these nice things ought to ^be^ mixed in with the "tough" & the "hard" & made to go "just as far as possible," so dont think me nor your goodies in as much danger again as the they were last night, I aim to do a great days work to do What these boxes of reading [unclear] I fly about I letter you How I wish they could send more