Head Quarters 10th Vt Camp at Whites Ford MdApr 5th 1863 My darling Mary Jane

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I hope you in Vermont are not having so rough a sabbath day as we are having here today. Yesterday it blowed all day enough to take our hair out by the roots, and just at dark it commenced snowing, and this morning there are drifts here in camp two feet deep- it must have fell nearly a foot deep on the level. What oceans of mud it will make again when it melts, and that is going to keep us where we are for the next ten days at least. We have been waiting for the last six weeks for it to settle down and the mud to dry up so we could moove to Poolsville, but the mud is against us. Lieut Thompson and Will Hutchins got back last night, but Justin has not got along yet. when he comes I expect to have a feast of "new sugar. I hope he will get along before this snow is all gone so I can "sugar off" and have some wax- wont that be grand? Lieut Thompson expected to meet him in N.Y. but some way got delayed and did not find him. I am obliged for that long piece on

Tell Mollie she must write her papa a letter- and kiss her good mama every night twice, once for her, and once for papa.

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the cure of "diarrhea". I believe I have seen the Tea spoken off, many times, it is so simple that it is well worth trying if it does no good. about "murder will out" and my being sick, there aint much to that any way. I think I have written you before, that for six weeks I had a run of the "diarrhea" but not bad, generally had to get up about once a night, the Dr. gave me the same remedy he did Capt Dillingham, and it has cured me, as it did him. It is "Brandy, Quinine, and Elixier of Vitrol," not very pleasant to take, but it winds up the "chronic diarrhea" in most cases in a few weeks. Do not borrow trouble my "blessed one" about my being sick, for I will always tell you the truth about it, and if I am bad shall send for you at once, but my health for the last three weeks could not be better, and I have felt like a "school boy" of sixteen all the time.

Sunday Afternoon
I have had a good dinner of "Roast Beef", have also had a "good nap" with my little pets "Potomac" and "Monocacy tom" and am feeling very comfortable for a "soldier on active service in the field". We have got a "lady boarder" now Mrs. Barnard of Windsor, she heard her boy was sick, and came out

My boy Johnny has been and put up a Barrell of Snow, and pounded it down hard and buried the Bbl in the ground, so we can have some snow to “sugar off” when Justin comes wont that be grand?

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to see him, she is a very nice lady and is going to send us a box of goods for our Hospital when she gets home, and that makes me think that I want you should send me a box. I want a good smoked Ham, about ten pounds of Butter, some Cheese if you have got it, some pickles (put them in an earthen vessel of some kind), some dried Beef, and Maple Sugar. do not cook or bake anything for it will be very sure to spoil if you do, take the things up to Emory, and get him to pack them all securely in a strong box, and iron hoop it, so it will not burst, and if he thinks of any little thing to put in he can do so to fill up the box, send by Express to Washington, also put in "Rob Morris Masonic Trestle Board" and tell King Brown if he has any old pictoral papers or magazines that are a little out of date he might put them in to fill the box. and I would give them to the Chaplain for the Hospital, and Mr. Parker may have something in the reading line, that he would like to send for the same purpose. we always turn over all the papers and Magazines we officers buy, after reading them to the sick boys in the Hospital, and they are very thankful for them. also a few Cigars. I think would go very well with me and a few of my particular friends like Capt.

Dillingham and Lieut Thompson, and a few other good fellows just like them- write me when you get it started and what is in it. My! what a feast we would have, it makes my mouth water now to think of it. I have just read your good letter over again, and must thank you all for sending me all of the first "batch" of sugar, Oh! how good it is to have such kind good friends and how well I appreciate it, you well know. I shall remember all these good deeds done for me, when I get around. I am glad to know Ferdie is doing well, and that Ella likes Mollie so well and takes such good care of her, it must be a good help to you and Mother to have Ella a so much better girl than she used to be, and to have her take hold and help. I am sorry Charlie has got the Neuralgia in his face, he must use plenty of "Henry's Linement". I hope he will have good health this summer, it will help Father so much. I should think you all ought to be healthy this year, for you have had about as much sickness in the last year as belongs to one family I should say. I want about twenty five pounds of sugar. I will pay Father for all you get of him, when the paymaster comes- which must be soon. You say "I must write often" dont I? I believe I have not missed writing twice a week since I came back, not the first word of news about he war. I send you the Baltimore papers so you can see how they feel.

Oh! You darling wife, I cannot stop writing to you as long as there is white paper I wonder they dont make bigger sheets. How I do want to kiss you

As ever yours William