As this afternoon is rather a disagreeable one I will improve it by writeing you a few lines I am well or nearly so I have quite a soar throat I do not know the cause of it I guess it will not prove very serious the boys are all more or less ailing they eat to much for their good the food is so much richer than they have been use to but after they get filled up once it will not be so bad on them it is a wonder that the

boys did not kill themselves when they first got to our grub We get boiled pork for breakfast vegitable soup for dinner coffee for supper and a loaf of light bread I do not get potatoes enough if I had money I would buy them and sweet milk that is what I want most I suppose you will see by the papers that old Burnside is geting up on expedition and his Hd Q is here there is Regts arriving all of the time there was a negro regt came in this forenoon The 1st Mich Sharp shooters is here one Co of indians they make good looking soldiers I tell you the talk is that we are going

to be payed off in a day or two I do to know whether we will or not they owe me from the 30th of last June besides the ration money and that will amt to something at $9.00 per month which they say we will we ought to have it we starved long enough I got a letter from you the day before I left the island dated Feb 7th the only word I had heard from home since last Aug Well I must close good by write soon

Direct to Anapolis Md
Camp Parole 4 Battallion
put on the Co. Regt

H E Randall