Camp 7 Miles South of Oxford    Miss
                                             Dec. 17^th 1862
          My Dear and Loving Wife
                              Through the Mercy and goodness of
a kind Redeemer This afternoon afordes me another oportun
ity of droping you a few more lines to let you know in
the first place That I am again in tolerable good health
for which you may know That I feel truly thankful to
My great Benefactor for his Mercy confered upon me
and I do yet hope and pray that the Same Mercies may
be bestowed upon you all Richley and that theas few lines
May find you all in the Blessed Engoyment of good health
      Dear Lydia I am Blessed with the privalige of Saying
to you in this that My health is Improoving and I think
in a few days if I keep on gaining that I will have
Entirely Regained My health and Strength I am now
dooing all my duty as Orderly in camp, I do not yet
feel Stout anough to March at the head of our column
and cary My Knapsack and gun  Should we be ordered
to March now, but I think if we Stay here a few days
longer I will e Suficiently able for all duty
     Now I have written the Mane object of this Letter for as
to Interesting news we have none Reliable and as to
what we are doing here all I can Say is we get up
about Daylight call the Roll get Breakfast atend to the
Sick of which thank fortune there is but few get and Eat
Diner call the Roll Lofe til time to get Super then get and 
Eat Super call the Roll then go to bead and of all this
time the lonsomist time I See is late in the Eavening and
it Seems to be the case with all The Boys, for the most
talking about home comes off late of an Eavening while we
are seated Round our camp fierz,  I Scarcley Ever pass an
Eavening without hearing the Expression O I wish this war
would come to a close So we could get to go home;  I
have no doubt you folks at home Earnestly wish and  pray
for the war to End, and let me tell you that it is a general
desire in our army and that from the hart at least among
the non comisioned officers and privats, men that are making
more money here than they Ever made in there lives before
or Ever will again do not seem to be So anxious

Well Dear Lydia I can Say as I have often Said in
former letters, how long we may Remain here I cannot tel
we may Moove tomorrow and we may stay here Several days
I understand our forces are now in Grenada and that the
Rebles are Retreating toward Jackson, Short of which place
I Think we will never find them, I understand our  gun
Boat fleet has gone on to Recksburg with a heavy land force
among which is the 71st Regt. if we could get news papers we
would Expect to hear Stiring news from thare in a few days
but I understand newspapers are Excluded from us by orders
The latest papers I have Seen was of the 5^th Just what the design
is I cannot tell;  There is also a Rumor here that there is fighting
going on now with the Eastern armies, if it is So I Pray
That god may be with and ade our army, for if we meet
with another Reverce thar it will cause great discouragement
in all the army of the north but Should we through the
help of god be Victorious I am Satisfied in my own Mind
that we will Soon be permited to Return to our Beloved wives
and children Fathers and mothers Brothers and Sisters and live
again in there Sweet Society;  May this be our lot is my Prair
       The wether here is yet delightful The knights are cool anough
  for good heavy frosts while the days are warm and pleasant
        Dear Lydia give yourself no uneasiness about me I am
getting along fine and as to friends to take care of me Should
I get Sick I could not ask for more than I have for they all
are Just as good to me as they can be and use me more
like a father than otherwise.  I never was used to being called
old until Since I came into the army but now it is aplied  to
me generally,  I will have to close my Short letter; May god
in his Infinate Mercies Bless and protect your sweet lives that
I may be permited to Meet you all again in this world is
My Earnest and constant prair
       Lydia god Bless you I do Say forever for you are the
Sweetest  Soul to me in this world.  I am as I always
Intend to be your Loving husband until death parts us 

  From Abrm Slough to My Loving Lydia A. Slough       

Syrina and Eveline Dear children I have not Room in this but
will try to have in my next to write to you