1864 Apr 12
Hanleiter’s Battery
April 12, 1864
My dearest companion,
I seat myself to drop you a line according to promise to let you know that I am well as common, hoping this may reach and find you well, also Mollie and the rest of the family and friends.
I went on Opossum Nose Island yesterday on picket. The island is about as large as your Pa’s garden and shaped like an Opossum’s nose. I saw one Yankee and one vessel while here. Nothing else strange.
I think we will all like this place very well, if we can have our health here. I hope we will never go back to Thunderbolt. We have good house room here. All we lack is good water.
I reckon you have heard that it rained all day the day we came here. I walked twelve miles in the rain and toted seventy-five pounds, but I stand it well. My little toe got blistered some.
I have just had nine boils on my face: one in my right temple, seven on my right jaw, and one on my left jaw. They are nearly all well, now.
Our guard duty is very heavy, now. We go on guard once in every four or five days.
Tell Mrs. Benson that Rich has got to be a Lance Corporal, and that me and William Orear has got him nearly run up the spout about it. We call him “Corporosity.” Tell Mrs. Orear that William says his mess has all turned to ossipher, and he don’t know what sort of medicine to take to stop it. However, the disease is not fatal.
I am glad you got your transportation, but I am sorry to say that we are not prepared to say that it will do for you to come. We will try to be prepared by the time we get another letter from home. We will make some inquiry about the probable length of time before our furloughs comes around. I do want to go home the worst in the world, but no possible chance now.
You said if you came, maybe Pa would come with you. If he does, I will be very glad. I want to see his old curly head once more.
I started a letter to Mrs. Benson day before yesterday in which I sent you a small note. I hope you have got it by this time. I will send this to her also, as Mr. Benson is going to write some and put in with me.
We have had a heap of bad weather for three weeks past, but it is fine weather, now. Hope it will remain so. I know the farmers are all behind in Pike.
We have drawn no money yet. We don’t know when we will. I hope we will soon, as we are all getting scarce of that article. I am sorry you did not get off you old money in time. Will only get twenty for thirty dollars, now.
I will close for the present.
May kind Providence be with us all, now and forever.
Yours, etc.
W. H. Harden
P.S.
3f y45 h1v2 18y s2c92ts t4 w93te s28d th27 38 f3g592s 18d I w366 k84w wh1t 3t 7218s. I w456d 63k2 t4 k84w 4f 18y th38g th1t 73ght b2 1s a 71t29 of c459s2. Y459s 1s 2v29.
If you have any secrets to write send them in figures and I will know what it means. I would like to know of any thing that might be as a mat[t]er of course. Yours as ever.
W. H. H.
CLEAR TEXT A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
CODED TEXT 1 B C D 2 F G H 3 J K 6 7 8 4 P Q 9 S T 5 V W X Y Z