Fair Oak June 25
Dear Parents I take the present time to speak to you with the pen to let you know how I am my health is not very good at
this time yet I am around all of the time so you see I cant be very sick I received yours of the ?? and 12th of June and was
happy to hear from you you are so good to write so often
I have written a great many times to you but you did not get the letters I get all you send to me I am sure I eat those
papers you send me so you can send more if you please to me
Yesterday the enemy drove us out of our camp with shell they did no harm to any of us Frank you think of (cannot read)
Enlisting do you ??? if you want to save your self any pleasure stay at home If you were hurt you would not last long if you
could get away that thing is so poor you cant think there is 200 cases of Scurvey in our regt which is clensed from want of
different food if you have any worry for your mother do not enlist if I was at home I would stay there I tell you but I am
fast so I must stay but do not Follow my example in that respect yet if you have ??? for bread for you cant get it here
I have had a diareah since I left Camp B????? the first day of March and the Dr. cant stop it I think if we get at Richmond
I will come home so do not come for pittz sake stay at home
Mother I have fixed my pay so that at next pay day you will draw a check for $20.00 and I wish you to keep it for me for
if I ever come home I can have it and if I do not you can have it I have spent all of my pay so far and I think it is time
for me to lay up some for future use you will get the check from government and you kneed not draw the money on then till
I come home as soon as I get my extra pay I will express som money home to you
Father I wish you could write to me once if no more for I could then write to you but I cant think of any thing at present
of interest to write so I must close Sarah please send me the letter you got from Mena and I will send it back Again to you
send all of the papers you have around to I shall get them all I cant write any more at this time
Dear Parents aid me by your prayers at the alter of God
Good Bye from your son
A.H. Marsh