1862 August 5 Camp near Martinsburg

Camp near Martinsburg
Aug 5th / 62
Dear Sister Jennie

I am just in
reciept of your most welcome
leter which bears date of July
20th. I am glad to hear that
you were all well & enjoying
yourselves.  I am enjoying
the same blessings. Yester-
day we moved our tents about
two miles and are now en-
camped one mile east of
twon instead of one mile
wet.  Our Camp is a fery
nice one.  We have good water
and plenty to eat.  I enjoy
soldeiring better hear than
in Camp  Butler A cool
breeze is generally stiring &
everything seems to go well.

Jane I wish you could see me.
I am so fleshy and so tanned
up--look nearly as black
as some niger-wenches, I now
see cooking about a rod from
me.  O, they are lovely, I tell you.
But then they can't come-it
with Hank you know.
Our company is divided into
five Squads, and for of the
Squads have hired four wenches
to cook for them; but Hank
don't  hire Niger-wenches to cook f
or His Squad. No,  nary-time
will he do that but will cook
himself first, and by the way,
I can cook some.  All goes
well with me, Jane.  I hope
so with you all.  Love to all and
don't forget to write soon & often.
              As Ever your Brot.
                                       Hank
Miss Jennie Redman
send me the Carrol Papers &c.


Dearest  Brot. Samm[a?]  I gladly write
you  a letter and would like to see
you; but then I cannot. I am glad to
hear that you are well & going to school.
That is right.  you must go to school &
be a good boy.  you must studdy your
lessons well and try to row up to
be a good noble man.  I am glad
to hear that you learn so fast, and
study so good.  You must try to see
how well you can learn to read and
see how good a boy you can be at
school.  I am coming home some day
to see you and shall ask you to read
and spell for me.  I am down south
to fight the Rebels and you must be a good
boy while I am gone.  From your brother
                                             Henry
Dear Sister Louisa  Your brother Hank
is all-right and would like to
see you I am coming home
sometime to see you, and all
the rest of my brothers and
sisters I wonder if you and
Samma wont be married before
I come home.  Now Louisa I
want you to write to me: So I can
see how well you can write and
how well you can spell.  I want
you and Samma to tell me who
comes to see the girls and who
the boys buggy-ride around
-Tell me all about the school & how
far you have got in your reader
If any of the school-marms come
to our  house, kiss them for me
or let Samma do it.  Nelson or Markle
are too bashful to kiss them or I would
tell them to do it.  Tell the Schoolmarms
that Hank is all-right and is
doing his duty to his Country
You must ge a good girl
and you & Samma must write me
a great long letter soon--
           I am your loving Brother
                                         Hank
P.S. Nelson & Markle you must
give the harvesting fits and do
it up in a hurry Do your work good
and be saving of your grain.  Remember you
must work while the sign is good.
                          All is well W. H. Redman

William Henry Redman, Co. C, 12th Illinois Cavalry


MSS 7415