Soldier Letter-
Looking for a fight in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester,
Virginia, March 16th, 1862
Friend
Josephine,
I
received your letter yesterday & I was glad to hear from you for it was so
long since I heard from you that I thought you had forgotten me. The reason
that I did not write before is because I heard that you was not at home &
besides that I did not receive any answer to my last letter. We are once more
in Virginia & we expected to
have a fine time taking Winchester, but the Rebels all left the night before we
got here & never gave us any show for a fight. We are having very
pleasant times. There [is] about twenty of us in a tent & we play euchre
pretty much all the time. We are encamped
about half a mile from the city. It is a very pleasant place & the weather
is delightful. There is skirmishing going on here every day with the enemy's
pickets.Our company is going out this afternoon
& probably we may have a chance to see some of them. It is rather
tough times here among the citizens. Salt is worth eight dollars per bushel,
potatoes are worth four dollars, coffee is worth two dollars per pound, writing
paper is selling for two cents per sheet, postage stamps are not to be had for
love nor money. We have fresh pork, mutton & chickens nearly every meal. I
should like to know if you have seen anything of Walt & if you have tell
him that I should like to hear from him. I can’t say how long we shall stay
here, but the probability is we shall remain here some time. Write as soon as
you receive this & give me all the particulars. Tell me what kind of a time
you had at that oyster supper at George Frey's. I heard by the way that my
uncle was waiting on you. I would like to know if it is so, but I must bid you
good bye this time.
Yours
truly, John