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Hudson April 20th
Friend Willie
As I have been
to church this forenoon and intend to go
again this evening I will devote part
of the afternoon to the pleasure of writing
to my old friend Willie and it may be the
rest to an other friend by the same name
living about thirty miles away.
What a blessed thing it is to have
one day out of seven to rest the weary
body and refresh the thirsty soul “with the
bread of life
at and at the fountain of
which it is said “if you drink ye shall
never thirst but it shall be as a well of
water springing up into everlasting life. O!
Willie if you have not already, wait no
longer but come and give your youthful heart
to Christ, who is ready and willing to
receive all who will came unto him.
It is sweet to love the Lord there is a
sweet enjoyment in it which the world
can never give nor never take away you can
enjoy tenfold more in this life and have
a crown of glory in the world to come.
We cannot expect all will be smoothe
in the world in the Christian life there
will be snares, temptations, & dificulties to encounter
all the way through but ye shall have
strength in that hour for Christ is
ever ready to help in time of need and
each trial encountered only gives us new stren
gth to press on in the good fight of faith
with Christ for our Captain and the bible
for our guide we must press on and victory
will be ours. Then come to Christ. for all the
temptations are but to try us and are blessings
in disguise. you may enjoy the world, so did
I but found all its pleasures but left a sting
behind what I then called pleasure was but
momentary and when it was passed there
was a feeling of regret. an aching void
which pleasure of the world could not fill
something was still wanting. but not so in the
Christian life its pleasures are lasting and
not sting goes with them they are but a
foretaste of joys eternal which fade not
away. then come and accept of these proffered
mercy and we will journey on the road to
glory together. and meet in heaven. if
not on earth.
We are all well as usual. and having
fine weather plowing and sowing has fairly
comensed some have made their gardens.
trees are leaving out Lilacks are buded &
in a few days the Peach, Plum and Cherry,
Pears & such like will be in blims the flowers
are found in the wood. and if I dont
forget it I will put in some flowers I
picked the other day.
I finished my school about three weeks
ago had a very pleasant time. the
next day I went to Hilsdale and heard
John S. Gough lecture he is the greatest
Temperance lecturer in the world and by
some called the best on any thing he
would have the audience all in a roar
of laughter one minute and the next they
would be almost orquite in tears and so he
would keep them. he told many amusing &
some very interesting and useful stories all of
them would bring out and illustrate some
great
[ ? ]
Yesterday I returned from a visite to my brothers
who lives about eleven miles west of us and about
twenty five minutes ride on the cars brings me
home. I had a very pleasant visite and found some
birch such as grows at Lendinding the seemd
lot I have seen growing since I have been in the
state of Michigan. I also found some evergreens in
the shape of cedar of two kings. Here there
are five small lakes all with in a mile. and all connected
this is only a small part of the chain of lakes which
extends several miles. Brother James runs a great mill &
is doing a good buisness.
The Michigan divisions are constantly
[ ? ] in
all parts of the army he had two regiments the 12
th & 15
th and two
batteries of Artillery were in the fight at Shiloh or Pittsburg
landing and one the 15
th regiment only brought out 400
men after the fight the same regiment passed
here only three weeks ago last Thursday No 1150 men &
what a change in less than four weeks. some of them were from
our town. one of the Mich Batteries was taken and retaken six
times and lost many men. The 1
st 2d 3d 4
th 5
th 6th 7
th
& 16
th Regiments are in front of Yorkstown also one company
or two of Berdans sharp shooters, 4 of them from this town
were summoned the other day by a large company of Rebles
but they killed twelve of them and got away with the
less of two guns smashed I was well aquainted with the
them and
were most of them were schoolmates. the 8
th is at
Beaufort SC the 6
th is at Ship Island at the mouth of
the Missippi. Monday morning the 10
th & 14
th are in this state guarding
prisoners & Forts. the 9
th 11
th & 12
th are in Kentucky & Ten.
The first Mechanics & Engineers Reg is part in Kenty. & part in
Ten. The 1
st Cavelry is in Banks division & was at Winches
er in that fight the 2d & 3d were at and helped take Island No
10 & New Madrid. then we have 7 batteries of Artillery in
the field two as I said were at Pittsburg, four are in Popes Div
one of these commanded by Maj De Gelier if our place at & helped
take Island No 10 he is the man that run away from the Rebles at
Richmond and got back out lines he used to belong to the Mich 4
th. the
other Battery is probably in Northern Alabama
besides these we have 18 companies use in regiments
belonging to different states. the old 1st was
the head regiment in the Bill Run fight and lost
many good men the Col is still a prisoner
Col Wilcox
yesterday I took a walk and gathered a fine
bouquet of flowers, of several kinds much the same
a you have in Vermont. but my paper
is full and you will not want any more of this
stuff so I will close write all about the
folks Dr
Amolds folks among the rest, my respects
to all the friends & your folks yours truly
C.B. Stowell.
