1861 May 25 Harper's Ferry

My dear Sister,

Your kind & affectionate
letter was duly received this morning & I will answer
it at once. It always gives me a great deal of pleasure
to hear from all of you at home. I am very glad to
hear that Ma has become more reconciled & better satisfied
at my being here. I mr had rat^’h’er be here myself at
Harpers Ferry, than most anyother place I know other of.
It is very healthy here. We have fine bathing her, either
in the Potomack or Shenedoah, but it has been most too
cool, I’ve bathed only once. We have to go to the spring or river
every day to wash our faces & hands. I suppose you’ve
all comme^’n’ced wearing summer clothes there long ago?

We were all mustered into service again this evening for
the term of eleven mos. & twenty seven days, we’ve served upward
of one month. We were all mustered on the parade ground
eached one was called out & asked if he was sound, if he was ^’
& all that were'
not sound will be examined this evening or tomorrow by the
Surgeons & if found ^’un’sound will be examin discharged immedia^’tely’
Joe was too unwell to go out, but will be examined at our
quarters & will be discharged I most sincer^’e’ly hope. I reckon
Mr Bickers will also get one. I wd be very sorry to sepa-
rate with Joe & Mr. Bickers but I know they can’t stand the
hardships of a soldier’s life & therefore I can part with them
willingly. I wd like to go home right well for a day
or two, but I know it is better for me not to go, as I’ve
gotten used to this life now & if I went home, I’d
have have to get used to it againg & parting with youall
a second time wd be as bad or worse than the first…

Everything is still going on quietly & troops still arriving
one thousand Mississipians came in this morning, all of
them were armed, a good many with Colt’s six shooter,
they were very good looking men , a good many

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more in a day or two. Mississip[p]i is certainly well repre-
sented here. I do n’t think an attack is expected here
now at all, & it is probable that our regiment will be
ordered east within ten day, to what part of Virginia I
do n’t know, we may have to go to Culpepper CH at first
& there wait for further orders. I wd like to remain at Culp. C.H.

Our neighbors have improved in their behaviour some
since they got the name of being the most disorderly co.
in the place, but they are still very disorderly. We
still keep the name of being a very well behaved co.
I’ve not seen a single one of my men drunk since
Henry Francisco &c left. I reckon it wd wound
C^’h’as. Jone’s pride very much to be brought back here
as a deserter. I was very much surprised at his cond^’uct’.

We still have a cadet as drill master.
Tell Jimmie I hope he’ll finish that letter soon,
he must let me hear all about the puppy, pigeons,
&c. I must stop for the present, will write
more if I have time. My best love to all.

I remain as ever yr
devoted & most aff son
Bro
Edd