10

Head Quarters 2^nd Brigade 1^st Division

12 Ambulance Corps near Stafford C. H. Va.

Apr 2nd 1863

Dear Wife & Children

I now take my pen in  hand this morning before brakefast to write you a few lines and let you know how I am getting along  I am well and hope when these few lines reach you they will find you all the same, it has now got to be the first of April it does not seam to me as if it was so late in the season but it is for all that. we had a very bad snow storm hear the last day of March  it has not all gone off yet, it is what I call pretty cold weather for the first of April in the sunny south. the talk among the boys is that we move in a few days, I think we shall be likely to leave here as soon as the travailing will admit, we can  not doe much at moveing as long as it storms evry other day and keeps it so mudy for the artilery which have to go along with us is so heavy that it can not be hauled till the mud drys up, Wall Lucinda here is whare I had to stop and go out to help clean up the streat before our shanty it is called here policeing up the streat, I forgot tell you before that I had been to brakefast we had hams and potatoes hard tack and coffee which made a very good meal it is the first ham I have had this winter we drew three days rations of it this time and it goes well for a change, Wall Edgar & Frank what do you find to buisy yourselvs about now days  I think it would suit you very well to be round out here now if you could only be at home nights, I have just been to water a pair of horses rode one and led the other  I suppose that would suit you boys pretty well,  We have built another shanty since we have come back up here to Stafford Court House  it does not  take us long to put up one now we  have got so used to it we can go into the woods cut the timber draw it and put up the shanty in less than half a day  I am with a new squad now two Sages from Cromwell and a big Irishman from Portland  the Irishman and myself are one of the Sage,s  helpers it takes three men to an Ambulance one driver and two  helpers, I sleep now in the Ambulance with the Irishman his name is James Alison a regular old pat but however that that makes no dif now we have to do as we can out here, I received a letter from Dan Williams last evening it was dated March 22th and directed I should say in Georgia,s hand writing he said that he saw my Wife to church that day also my girl and boy he spoke about the slippers that I made though they would not quite come up to the ones they get up down in Maine reckoned they was not quite as large nor out of the same material but that makes no dif they ware first rate any how, Wall Lucinda Georgia Edgar and Frank it was April fool day yesterday so I thought I would have one fixed up for you, you will find him inclosed in this letter the old fool himself if you can make out whare he is write in your next and let me know also how you like him, my love to you all

From your Husband and Father

A.C. Smith

Copyright © 2009 Bruce E. Leandro. All rights reserved.