1861 May 21 Harper's Ferry

Dear Pa,
As I have time to write
this evening & do n’t know when I’ll
have time again, as ^ ‘for’I will be on duty
tomorrow, I will write to you again.
Joe is a good deal better & will be
out again soon I hope, he is more
cheerful now, but gets low spirited
yet at times. I am afraid now
that Joe will find some difficulty in
getting a discharge, as it is an
exceedingly hard thing to do now, he
will be very much disappointed
if he does not succeed in getting it.
Everything is right qu^’i’et here now,
Troops are still pouring in, six hundre^’d’
Mississipians arrived yesterday, five
hundred this morning & fifteen hundr-
ed more are on the way, twenty five

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Baltimoreans came in yesterday.
A good many Baltimoreans are here.
I d n’t know how many troops ^ ‘men’ are
here in all, but do n’t think there is
less than fourteen or fifteen thousands
The first regiment has been ordered to
Wheeling & will start this evening.
We got twenty three more minnie mu^’s’kets
this morning, have sixty in all now,
enough for all of us. They are busy
here now planting cannon &C.
I do n’t think an attack is
expected here now. I reckon we’ll
have an exciting time here Thursday
I would n’t be surprised if there
was a fight at Wheeling Thursday.
Our Co is the first co in the 2nd regi=
ment now….. Cousine Doc is our
ensign, it suits him exactly.
Some of the Companies are complain=
now ^’ing’ that they do n’t get enough to
eat, we all have enough, but none
to waste, so many are here now

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that It takes a great deal to feed them all.
I hope you all will make things
right now if you got that certificate
you must show it as much as possi^’ble’
Haslup & Chas. Jones have been reported
as deserters & Col Hill says he intends
to have them brought back. We wd like
to see Henry Francisco brought back too,
but as he a got a discharge (by lying)
I don’t suppose anything can be done to
him. I wish those fellows cd hear our
whole Co talking about them sometimes.
I got ^’a’ letter from Cousine Edloe
Bacon to day dated the 19th, he did n’t
give me much news, but a great deal of
good advice. I was ver surprised to get
a letter from Cousin Edloe, thought it was
from Pen. I do n’t see why Pen do n’t
write to me, I have n’t had a line from
him since he left home. I got the
paper you sent me yesterday, am very
much obliged to you for it.
Tell sister Page I’ll answer her letter

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soon, but she must not wait for an
answer but write again. I do n’t believe
I’ve written to Bro. John either, but he
wo n’t wait I know. I direct the most
of my letters to you, but they are for
all, as much for one as another.
I saw cousine Will Ashby & Jones yester=
day. Will Jones said he wanted to see his
wife very bad… It is no time for
dress parade so I must quit. I am
well. My best love to all
Yr devoted &
most Aff. son
P.S. Edloe
Dr Barret expects to leave day
after tomorrow, so I’ll write again by him
if I have time. Henry Childes is well,
all of the others are well. My love to
Uncle Thos. & Wife, to all of my friends
& to the servants. I wd send the things
home that I do n’t need, but dislike
to trouble Dr. B. with them. Yrs &c
P.E. Jones

Joe is much better this morning.
he’s going to try to get his discharge to day
all of the soldiers are going}
to vote to day, I wish I cd vote}

MSS 13407