Camp at Poolville Meriland feb 27 1862 [properly 1863]

I recieved your letter last night and was glad to here from you I have bin unwell but am better now all the rest Are well it is pleasant here to day With the excepsion of the mood it reigns about every other day i have not bin on gard for about a fortnite I have had A lame back and stommock but i have got a plaster on it now and it is better now you spke about buying that place to northfield i dont think we should like it and Bents he askes to much for it we should like it well enough but money is harde to bee got and land must come down if you can buy it for 400 or 450 ds it would doo to buy it you mite try him and see what is the lest he will take has he ever shingled the house or has he done anything too it since i was their tell me

All about it i would offer him eny thing gst yet till you write again I think that you can buy it for 4.50 dollers dont let the old man know it if you doo you will have to pay more tell bent you will pay him 2.50 dollers down if you buy it and fifty dollers A year and interest or more if you Can you can look round and see what you can find perhaps you can find something that sutes you better you need not think that i shall not Come home again for i shall but if the south lose vixberg [sp. Vicksburg] and Charleston which they all think they will for they are bombarding the citty now the war will soon bee over but we dont know we think of going out to baltemore to gard this summer or to Washington or else we shall stay here we shall doo one or the other this is a very good place

     it is the first of March And all is well it reigns here to day it reigns about every other day here the mood is nee deep we mustered for pay yesterday we shal getit about the middle of the month the rebel paper of yesterday states that they are about to avaquate vixberg and Charlestown they say that they can see no chance their we think they are about done their is a lot of rebels Just acrost the river from us but they dare not Come over here they would like to get us over there to bolls bluff [sp. Ball's Bluff] where Meny a brave boys bones lay bleaching in the son if they Come over here we shal drive them back but we shall not go over their among the gulfs and rocks to bee slautered by the black harted devels as bakers [i.e., Col. Edward Baker's] armey was that battle commenced on the same ground that we are now on

Mary has got a new dress it is a nice one She is Comming to Newhampshire when she goes fram here there is thirty fore died out of this regement but not but one from this comperny our comperney is the tuffest one in the regment how do you get along for wood have you got enough how Much hay is there in the barn and how does the Cow git along and has Alvins [i.e., the author's son, Alvin Henry Combs] sheep got two or three lambs tell him he must give her some potatoes before and after she lambs take good care of them and not let them die you say you way 185 I should like to snug up to them fat legs of yours but their is nothing here that is at all attracting at all their is nigers enough but not many whites here give my love to all the folks and tell them i am well good buy for now