1862 April 22 Camp Butler Illinois

Camp Butler Ills
Monday April 22nd/62

Dear Brother Nelson
I hasten
to drop you a few lines.
I am well and enjoying
good times.  I would like
very much to see you all
at home and enjoy the
pleasures of home for
a short-time: but this
can not be now. Nelson
I wish to impress upon
your young and tender mind
that you are now forming
a character for life and that
which you now practice
the habits ^ whether good or bad
will most likely be your closest
through life
companions ^ . You are

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now in the bloom of
youth--your mind is
as the young growing tree-
As it matures with age
the more fixed it becomes
in its course; and remem
ber well, that as it now
inclines; so it will grow.
If you seek for virtue,
happiness, and honor
endever always to do the
right, and avoid the wrong.
Never take me as a pat-
tern, for I must say with
deep regret that I have
not always done as I should
Always keep an eye
to the future and employ
the present as though
it never will return.
In short, do not pass time
moment
idly by, but improve every^


[page 3]]
You should not only be kind
and obedient to father and
mother but avoid quarling
and jangling with brothers
and sisters-----------------
Spring time has now
come.  Now remember
that this is the Season of
the year, in which you
must sow and plant your
grain and fix up you fences.
Do your work well and
in its season, is the best
advice I can give you.
the weather has not been
so good here this month
as it was in March.  It
has rained a great deal
these last two weeks------
the sun is Shining warm
to-day; and all goes
well in camp.---------

[page 4]
Inclosed you will find a letter
which I recd from A. J. Brock
today.  I send you papers
as often as I can; do you get
them? One of our boys
was shot yesterday by accident
The ball passed through his
head It entered at the left
side of his nose and came
out at the back of his head
I was within 10 or 15 steps of
him when the gun wet off
He fell without speaking---
merely made  on shriek
and was no more His Capt.
died in about 10 minutes
afterwards with the typhoid
fever.  Tell Em that Capt  Fisk
had his heart torn from
his body by a cannon ball
Bailey had a brother wounded
in the battle at Pitsburg landing
Nelson I want you and
all the family to write to me
often  Give my regard to all
the folks and tell them that
Hank is coming home when
the war is ended  Make the best
of life your can So good Bye
In haste
I am very truly Hank
Nelson Redman
Markle Redman and all.

William Henry Redman, Capt., Co. C, 12th Cavalry Regiment, Illinois Volunteers.

MSS 7415