H. F. S
Camp Ashby Apl 20 1863
My Dear Wife
I have been looking for a letter from you for two or three days but have received no letter as yet and being impatient I will wait no longer but proceed to write to you I have very nearly gotten over my attack of Diarrhea_ and begin to feel like I was al myself again_ there is no news here except the Yankees is all [reported] to have left Charleston and there is no prospect of a fight now_ the company is still at Charleston_ and I do know when they will come back__ whether at all or not__ it is likely if they do not come back in a few days we shall go to them__ we are [fareing] some better now than when I first came to the company __ we get seven ounces of bacon and a half a gill of syrup and we draw some rice we get plenty of corn bread we draw grits to make coffee if they will always feed us as well as they do now we can make out you must take good care of your meat for I am fearful you will not have enough__ it is not worth while for me t tell you that the time drags dull and heavy with me__ O that this cruel war would end so that I could come home and stay take care of you and assist you in raising and training our Dear Children__ here I cannot see you but I can think of you__ The scenes of camp life is very different from that around the home fireside. Surrounded by a [fond] wife and darling [prattling] children it is indeed a heaven on earth compared with the life of a soldier here we have to rise at the sound of the horn attend roll call some times half dozen time a day and no one allowed to leave the limits of the camp without special permission from the officer of the day and while we are not on duty I can hear nothing but cussing and swearing and see nothing but card playing__ it is impossible for me to describe to you the vice immorality and the wickedness that is practiced in [camps] but thank god I have been able to resist all temptation__ instead of its having any influence over me it has had the contrary effect__ I have felt more importance of a moral life and have felt a deeper sense of my obligations to my maker than I ever have before in my life__ and I hope that you will try to serve the Lord so that if we should never be permitted to meet again on earth_ that we shall meet at the bar of God in peace to enter into rest _ never to fast no more__ but I have not [despaired] I have strong faith that I shall be shielded from harm and protected from danger__ and shall [return] home at some future time__ I send you a paper of [needles] you must take good care of them for they are very high__ they cost me a dollar__ I send you some paper also you must save everything you can__ I am trying to do so I have entirely quit the use of tobacco__ you must write soon and often __ I remain_
Your affectionate Husband
H.F. Scaborogh
[Transcribed by Stacy Bryant, June 2005]
[Edited by Tina Bernath, June 2006]
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