Head Quarters 10th Vt Camp in the field near Bealton Va. Sept 1st 1863 My Darling wife,

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My boy Johnny brought me down your good letter of the 26th while I was on Picket yesterday. Oh! how glad I was to hear you had such a good long Horseback ride, and how I did wish I could have been with you, How nice it must be to see little Ferdie crawling over the floor, and getting to be a nice big healthy boy. does he appear to be injured any by having fits? I mean his intellect. As a matter of course his constitution has been affected but he can out grow that in time, if his head is all right

I have feared a good many times it might seriously affect him. Still it did not seem to hurt Mollies intellect in the least. What a nice good girl she is and how her poor papa does want to see her, and give her a good hugging and kissing and have a good play with her and then to sleep with her and have her crawl all over me and hear her silvery little laugh and prattle. Oh! what pleasure thousands of Fathers are throwing away every day, because they do not know how to appreciate, and enjoy the blessing of being with their loved little ones every day. But I can hardly write on this subject for when I get to thinking the “happy times” over that I am loosing

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I get almost homesick and forgot what I am out here for. I do hope Col Jewett will get around soon so I can make some kind of a show to get home for a few days. I got a letter from him to night and he thought he would get here by the last of this week. Tell Father Beebe to look out for a chance to buy one hundred dollars worth of sheep, and as soon as I get a chance I will send him the money to pay for them for I have got the money, and do not see any chance to use it here. I believe Sheep must be a good safe speculation and I see by the papers that they are not very high in market now. last night we got orders to "be ready to moove

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at very short notice" but have heard nothing from it since. I heard last night that three of of the "Army Corps" were going to cross the river this morning and make an advance on "Fredricksburgh heights" and have been listening all day to hear the Guns, but all has been quiet, and I have not heard a word yet. we were to be held in reserve. it was expected that we should not find much off an enemy. Our boys are all well. Lieut Thompson is out on Picket. I expect to hear every mail from Capt Ed. we are getting anxious to learn how he stood the journey. How much does John ask for his horse now? I sent you twenty dollars in a letter, did you get it? My health is tip top now. The Chaplain tents with me now, so I can keep him straight.

As ever yoursWilliam.