Monday, February 02, 1863 - Stafford Court House, Virginia

Head Quarters 20^th Regt CV

Stafford Court House Feb 2th 1863

Dear Wife

I now seat myself to answer your letter which I received on Saturday night was glad to hear that you ware all well it found me well and I am well to day and hope when this reaches you it will find you all enjoying the same great blessing we are having rather disagreeable weather here now we had quite a snow storm here last week it has been very slopy for a few days past last night it looked as if we might have a rainy night of it but did not rain but little and cleared off very cold towards morning it is so cold now that I can hardly write on acount of my fingers feeling the effects of the weather I sent you a letter last Friday by our first Lieutenant Oliver K Post he went home to Hartford with the body of Capt Smith so I sent a long a letter to mail at Hartford I put twenty dollars in it I Have felt a little uneasy about it since I sent it as there was a darkey went with him that knew whare the letters ware put and also knew what was in them so I want you should write to me as soon as you receive this whether you have got that letter unles you have receved it and wrot before you get this, we are kept pretty straight now a days we have more picket and guard duty to doe now than we have ever done before they get us on now about every other day, You wanted to know whether my clothes ware wore out I have all of the clothes that I carried away from New Haven except my socks and shoes I think they have lasted me pretty well but I can get all of the clothes that I want I do not want to keep many by me except what I want to ware for the reason that I do not want to pack them on a march my handkerchiefs and towels I have got yet although one of the towels is pretty well wore out as I have used that all of the time; Georgia wrote that you wanted to know what I thought about your dressing in black for little Freddy I am willing that you should do as you think best about however it would be my wish that you and Georgia both of you should dress in mourning for one so dearly beloved as that little boy was by all of us for it is the onely way now left that we can show our love for him O that I could have been at home at the time of his sickness and death so that I might have listned to the last echoes of that sweat voice and been permitted to once more behold that butiful forme before it was laied away in the cold and silent grave but alas that could not be but I am in hopes that we shall all meet in that bright and better world than this whare thare is no more sorrow pain or death but pleasures evermore Well Georgia I will say a few words to you you and your Mother boath write that you wish I was at home you do n ot wish so any more than I do it would be the greatest pleasure that could be confered on me in this world to send me to my home and family although there would be one vacant place which no one could fill there would be that chair to the table at my right hand with no little Freddy in it to ask his papa or mama for somthing to eat as he used to it is hard for your dear Father to think that if he should ever live to come home that a part of his little family is gone that one bright spark has been extinguished and taken from our sight but it has gone whare it will shine brighter and brighter and some day I am in hopes that we shall all join him in that bright world whare he has gone Edgar & Frank I want you boath should remember that your Father wants you should be good boys see if you cannot be as good as little Freddy used to be; Georgia those pieces in the papers that you spoke of are written by the first Lieut of our Company all of you receive a kiss from me and the best love that I can send From your Father & Husband A.C. Smith