Camp among the Pines near Culpepper VaApr 14th 1864My dear Wife -

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I received your letters dated the 6th and 10th last evening. Also the letters from the children, all of which gave me great pleasure. I was grieved to learn that you was suffering so [] with the headache, but I feel much more [] about your []. God grant that you may be spared an attack from the excurciating disease.

Your [] had no foundation. I am well hearty and in good spirits.

You ask a number of questions of a political character which I will answer to the best of my ability. I do not know that Lincoln did give Mrs Todd White a pass through the lines with an order to Genl Butler not to search her or her baggage. I think it is a piece of political scandle got up for political purpose. And if he did give her a pass to that effort it is nothing new. The thing is done quite often and for a military

purpose. Now what I am about tell you must be looked in your most secret mind. This is one way our spyes get through the lines, both [] and finish. And it answers our purpose better that the opportunities or copper head paper make capital of it. And another fact this Lady is MrsLincolns Sister.

As to both before or after the [] else, time is another beef bear of the []. You may not [] that the election will have no fact in [] in the battles that are to come off, not will the []of Mrs L have any thing in common with the close of the [] except to bring it to a more speedy termination. One thing you may [] upon, that if he is not [] you will see one of the most disgraceful [] of principles and of our legitimate rights that the would ever saw. There are my heart conditions from [] observation of the [] of the times. At present I am bound by no party ties and therefore act and think without prejudice.

Just so long as Lincoln acts for the interests of our common country I will stand by him and no longer. I know that his heart is in the crushing of the rebellion. The opinion of his enemies to the contrary notwithstanding. There are now more anxious than the Rebs that he should be defeated in the coming election, unless it be the Copperheads, who are their [] and sworn friends. I see that you are not entirely [] from your partiality for that cotton and corrupt party who style thousands Democratic, but who never had a shred of democracy in their corruption. The present is not the democracy of Jacksons and Polks time. The [] has stolen the skin of the over awful line.

Mrs Betters has returned, with the things you sent me, many, very many thanks for the sugar, it is so nice. I have locked it up in my trunk for my own are thinking I can appreciate its sweetness much better than any body else.

I have never made any attempt to get more pay for this reason it would be entirely useless. All that would be gained in the attempt would be to get myself into

trouble with the government. Be patient my dear, dear! wife, the Pay master is in the Brigade and we are expecting to be paid off tomorrow, and just as soon as I get hold of some money I will send you some. The people at home do not [] that we soldiers or their families shall live any way distant. While we are earning barely enough to live on, they are getting rich. I hope to live to see the day when the tables will be turned on them.

I will send that piece of paper shortly. I know you must experience much hardship in taking care of our little treasures but it would be much harder not to have them to care for. Tell Helen that I hardly think it advisable for her to go to school the remainder of the term. Tell her that her Father thinks more of precious health than all she could learn in 10 years. Ask her if she would not to please me, just as soon keep a little school of her own, and learn Jacob to write and Kittie to read? She will always be

when he is around. He always has so much talking to do, and he is always interesting. One cannot spend an evening with him without receiving much valuable information from him.

It is so long since I have heard from you that I begin to feel homesick I wish I was sitting by you tonight with the children piled onto me, how happy I should be. Give my love to the dear creatures and tell them how much papa loves them. As for your dear self, you know how much I love you, and that you have the fullness of my heart.

Remember me to our friends
Your affectionate husbandJ.C. Rutherford