Mother has gone to church and I thought I would commence my letter this morning, but I guess I shan’t accomplish much for it is most time for church to be out and I have one little chatter box to help me. She is singing “Burleigh baby” at the top of her voice, once and the while she stops and asks me “Mama, you hear that noise?”

She is so pleasant and pretty when she wakes in the morning. This morning I asked her what she would say to Papa if she should see him. She says “Tank you Papa, I like some candy Papa”. She says “Poor Papa gone war, Papa come home see he Lulu baby, sometime”. Dear

Wednesday Eve

Dear husband,

It is a cold, stormy, bleak, night. The wind howls piteously, and the sleet is driven against the windows furiously, and every blast makes the cold chills creep over me, not for myself, for I have a comfortable place, but, oh how my heart aches for you my dear husband. It seems to me if you should be obliged to be out in such a storm without shelter, that you must perish, it commenced snowing about noon today and was not extremely cold but it turned to sleet towards night, and the storm and cold increases all the time, and oh God help you if you are out and exposed to it.

I was in hopes

Mt. Carmel Tuesday eve Jan 20th/63

My ever dear husband,

I thought I would commence my letter tonight for if it is pleasant tomorrow night the Soldiers Aid Society will meet and perhaps I shall have to go to keep peace and if so, I shan’t find much time to write. I received your letter last night, written the 13th, and this morning I got the note which you sent in Joe’s letter. I was sorry that you were not located in a more pleasant place but yet I can’t but be sorry to learn of your expected march, if it portends joining Burnside.

All the news I have is that Burnside was reported to be about to attempt again

Mt. Carmel, Sabbath eve, Jan 1863

My own dear Husband,

I haven’t found any time during the day to write, and have been hindered when I commenced, perhaps you won’t get much of a letter. Maria Cook has been in here this evening. She is talking of sending some things to her husband, and I guess by what she said, they’re hoping perhaps I would want to go send with her, but I thought I wouldn’t, for I mean to send you a box before long on my own hook.

I received your last Sabbath letter on Friday, the check came all safe, and I should have written to you that night as you requested, but Sue was in