864302.6?
Battery [*****] Md.
May 2d 1864
Dear Lorette,
It is ten o'clock PM, I got my paper out and commenced this and got it dated about eight this morning, when I received a message from the fort, saying, the Capt. was sick, one of the Lieut. gone away, and the other officer of the day, and that I must go up and drill the company, [there were few] drills today and this evening a recitation in tactics, and when that was done it rained very hard, and I waited for it to hold up a little and the consequence is did not get home very early, but am going to write to you anyways. So you are glad I am lonesome are you? Well then I am glad you got lost in the woods

But youwon't care anything about that if you win the five dollars, well why don't they hurry up if they are going to? Seems that everybody is getting married up there, what in the world does it all mean? There won't be any chance for us fellows when we get home will there? Heavens I am not going to quarrel with [Elithorp], If I do with any one else. I am glad Julia is going to where you can see her occasionally and I wish (more than you do) that I could be obliged to go up there, do you suppose Julia would tell me the dream? Tell her to write it to me won't you? Did you go to Middlebury and did you get some photographs? You must send one to me if you did you know. Well now I expect I shall have to tell you all about my new boarding place, it is a

first rate place, not a large family, only the man, his wife and her sister, and they seem more like the people in Vt than most of the folks here do. They gave me a very nice, large, room, which is much more pleasant than keeping Bachelors Hall. How did your "grandma" get burned? It must be (as you say) awful to get burned to death, nothing can be more horrible. What kind of a May Day did you have? The wild flowers have been in blossom here quite a while. There are some violets a little ways from my little house, as large and nice as any that I ever saw in a garden. At least I have got the Major's picture for you, it is not as good one as I wanted but was the best they had. Here is a four leaved clover I found the other day, Lorette you must take the will for the deed this time as I am so tired I can write no more. Goodnight, Ever Yours George