Danville, Mississippi

Sunday evening, Oct. 26^th, 1862

My Dear Wife:-

I again have been permitted to take the pen to address you.  In a note that I wrote to you the day before yesterday, I told you that I expected a letter from you that night.  The mail came minus a letter for me, but I consoled myself with the thought that you was waiting one more day to give me more of the news, and that I would get one yesterday.  After looking over the paper, I went to bed (blanket) to dream of home and all its endearments.  It seemed as if I had been asleep but a minute, when I was brought to a sense of my existence on earth by a voice enquiring if this was the Captains tent.  It was midnight, a mounted orderly from General Misner, ordering us to Rienzi, to have our horses appraised and branded.  We went and remained there till 4 o’clock P.M. (Sunday night).  Then we returned because the commissioners had not come to appraise our horses.  As we came back it began to snow and before we got into camp, there was a blinding snow driving into our faces, which continued till after dark, reminding us of our homes and families in Illinois.  This morning we sent Allen Clow to Rienzi to see when the Commissioners came and about noon he came back with the word for us to go to Rienzi.  We went there and had the U.S. put on them, after presenting our written protest.  And now we will not get quite as much of Uncle Sams green backs by twelve dollars per month, as we got before.  Our folks at home now need not look for as large remittances as they used to receive.

When we returned this evening I received your letter dated 20^th and 21^st, which I was glad to receive, but sorry to hear that Rollin keeps sick so long.  I do hope he may soon get well.  I am now receiving the Salem Advocate.  I guess that dollar you paid them will induce them to send it till the next battle, when they will stop and think if I am not killed, I ought to be.

I do not think I will send for my overcoat at all.  You may ask Pap if he will wear it and if he will wear it I will be glad to make him a present of it and if I need one I will get me another one.  We have just received a lot of overcoats, boots, pants etc this evening and I worked away issuing them till dark, when we quit till morning, then we will go on “selling off at cost”.

I knew before where Sergt. Beebe was, as you will see by the monthly returns which I sent you day before yesterday.  I hope you will take good care of them for if I ever get home, they will be useful to me, and if not they will be good for you to refer to.

We this evening received our blank muster and pay rolls, and I will have to get to work on them tomorrow or the next day.  It is considerable trouble to make them out and requires some time.

I am glad that Mrs. Young is coming to visit us, for she is good company and I will be glad to see her.  I expect that Pap will remember seeing her at Camp Butler when he was there about a year ago now.

Would it appear like Sunday to you to get up and do what I have done and see what I have saw today.  I think not.  Get up and start two teams to Corinth for clothes and rations, then start two teams to gather corn, then the rest go to have their horses appraised, hear guns firing all day.  Then return and sell about two hundred dollars worth of clothing and have two men arrested and send them under guard to Corinth!  Does that look like Sunday?  Such is the soldiers Sunday.  Now would you like to be a solider, eh?

Mrs. Hendrickson is cooking for us.  Mrs. Upton is as well as usual and a perfect soldier.  My health is very good.  The health of the Company is good.  John M. Hamilton will soon apply for a discharge.

William A. Smith

P.S. Diora tells me that Hester is reading and that I promised her a reading book.  I hope you will buy it for her and tell her that it is from me.