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Regiment: 2nd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp Benton
St Louis MO
Dec 1st 1861
Sunday Eve
Dear Parents, one & all
I received two letters
(this afternoon) in one
and I now take the pleasure
of answering the same
it has been a rather sad
day here to day it is all
hurley burley all over the
camp grounds this is a
large camp ground and then
is a great many men on
it to there is about 200 area
of land & about 20000 men
there is one or to other
camps close bye our camp
making in all some 50000
men so the
[ ? ] are
the michigan 3rd Reg
arrived here this fore noon
and made quite a show, I
have been working in the
cook room all day to day
washing dishes our company
got dinner for 100 men of
the 3
rd Reg. I will tell all
the news there is if I can
now it is hard work to think
that I want to when I come
to writing, there was three
men standing on guard last
night and a man came &
gave them some whiskey
which had poison in
two of the men are
dead and the third pretty
near they belong to the
3d Iowa Regiment.
this afternoon while the
the companies were out on
Dress Parade there was a man
shot through the head killing
him instantly it was done
by two men a fooling with
their guns the ball struck
him in the forehead and
tore the top of his head all
to pieces he had just been
home on a furlow poor fellow
General Price says he is agoing
to winter here and it makes
feel rather hard because they
have not got their arms yet
so they cant fight much
if he should come now but
when we get our arms he may
come as quick as he is a mind
to we are all well now all of our
boys but there is a great many
sick ones in camp while we were
in Camp Anderson I did not
sleep a night with out my
[ ? ]
on but since we have been here
I have not slept one night with
out them off. I guess there is no
lines on this page if there is I
can not see them but never mind
if you can only read what I am
writing I would send my picture
home to all if it did not cost
so much you can give one of
those to Louise or any one else
you’re a mind to, this is to libbie
five my love to all C.H. Potter
does G. L. Hopkins keep that pipe yet
