1862 October 17 Norfolk Va

                            1862
Norfolk va  October the 17
Dear wife i
receved youre kind and welcom

letter which was dated the 12
and was very glad to here
from you agane to here
that you was well I
am well at presant and
injoying good helth as I
i ever did in all my life
I wish that you wold rite
and let me no if that
box has arived or not
I hope that if I half to
stay in the army this
winger that they will
leave us here for we
have got a nice place
and evry thing looks
very plesant we are in
site of the sitty of norfolk

[page 2]
But his place donte
look like home after
all Will knapp is a
bout 8 miles from here
on craney island I am a
going to visit him to
morrow if nothing happens
more than i no of now
and when i rite a gane
i will let you no how
he is a getting a long
we have very good
barracks to sleep in
and it makes it write
plesant to what it has
bin we hante hate hante
had eney frost here
yet but it was quite
cold last knite but
we have good fire
places in our barrac
and that makes it
more plesant

[page 3]
we hant got our pay
yet nor we dont no
when we will get it
the last of this month
they will ow me for
six monts and when
i git it i will send
it home tell fathar
not to be un easey a
bout me tell him and
mother to keep up good
chere till i come home
i think that the war
cant last more than till
spring and i do sincerly
hope that i will have
good helth and be spared
so that i can come home
once more to grete my
frinds tell magga that
i will rite one of thes
days tell Jim that
he had better stay

[page 4]
at hame and let
us do the fighting
well i must close
buy sending mi
love to you all so
good buy rite soon
                    Yr Edward
                        Shepherd
Drect youre letter
to Mr Edward
               Shepherd
7 New york Battery
in care of P. Cregan
Norfolk...va...

Union soldier from Dutchess County, New York in 7th New York Light Artillery

MSS 12631