Camped at Warrenton Junction
	Va. Aug 10th 1863
My Dear Sister Melissa
	Monday PM. and
hot as Election (as the Saying
is) it makes the grease run
out of a fellow in a stream
all most. I supose it must
be grease for we eat 
enough to have it run out
all over us. hog is about
all the meat we get. Sometimes
it is Smoked, but enough
of this. having got my 
out and our Battery having
been Inspected this forenoon,
and just finished my Dinner
I will now try and ans.
your kind and good letter
of the 4th inst. which I
rec. Saturday and was very
happy to hear from you
I assure you. I was very
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much pleased with its contents
for it was qwite interesting.
I should of ans. it before
but I have not had time
for we have had Inspectio
-ns for the past three days,
and other things have taken
up my time. I wrote to
Charlie last Friday and
directed the letter Cinc-
inetttia. I rec. a letter
from Rachel last week
telling me how to direct
a letter to him. Some one
had told her so she told
me. I thought of directing
it to Washington, but I
guess it will go all right.
I want to hear from
him very much. I
am very glad to hear by
you that he enjoys such
excellent good health, no
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3
doubt one reason is because
he is temperate. I notice
such do enjoy the best
health out here as a general thing.
Then you think he has had
rather a rough time do
you, but not as rough as
I have seen or had, no
doubt he has had some
rough times as well as my
self and I think likely
he gives you the best
side as well as myself
dont you think it is
better so to do; than to
give the worst it is
all bad enough, but we
have seen  times
as well as bad. we expect
rough times; and did when 
we Enlisted. it has been
no worse than I Expected
to find it. Why!!! it is
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4
nothing if we   to
make ditches sometimes
in the night under our
beds to drean the water
off that is overflowing
us, or if the ground is
to level to drean we
lye down and let it
Soak us, and get up in
the Morning and Steam
as though we had just
come out of a hot pot,
or sometimes it is to cold
to lay so we build up
rousing fires strip off
our Clothes ring them
put them on Stand by
the fire most all Night.
These things are nothing
and I guess Charlie and
myself can much better
tell our Storys after we
get home. Evenings by 
our Fire Sides and our
little Famileys by our
Sides than we can to sit
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5
down here and write it.
Rachel had never told 
me that Speach that
Freddy made. I am very
glad you told me of it,
for I shall now think
that the instructions I
have tried to give him
have not been unheeded.
I think as you say,
he is a good meaning
Boy and  to do
what is right, and 
do so if he is not led 
off by Bad Boys. I rec.
a letter from Rachel to
day. They were all well.
She sais Freddy is sometimes
good and sometimes not
so good. Well that is the
case with us all, as to
Old Bunch, (Clinton)
I can not say much about
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him only by what I hear
others say. All I can say,
he was a  Baby when
I left home he then
could but just sit alone
on the floor, but I
expect he has got to be
a great Boy now. how
I would love to see
the little fellow; yes
and Freddie, Rachel, 
and all of you, and I
trust I may before 
many months. Only think
only 13 Months and 15 days 
longer to stay. I hope
they will begin to draft
in N H soon, for I
want to see some of
those Lazey fellowes
out here. It does us Old
Soldiers good to see them
new one comeing out
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to help us after we have
been at it so long. The
more the better. I no
doubt Luther would
come if he was drafted
but I hardly think he
ought to come, and I
do not want  to
come let him stay at
home and look after
those that are left alone
(as it were) by Relitives,
after  get home 
he can go if he wishes
so to do. I can not
tell you any thing 
about the situation of
our Armey or the Rebes,
as you already know
our Battery is connected
with the Reserve Artillery
now and we are generaly
in the rear except when
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there is to be any fighting
then we have to be at the
to a part in it. our
Battery does of course, it
would be a curious thing
if there should be a fight
here and the 1st N H
Battery not take part in
it. I can not tell when
there will be a forward
move again, it is uncirtain
as far as I know. You can
tell as much about that
as I can. The war news
has been very encouraging
the past month. I trust 
it may continue to be
so till the war is ended
which I Pray may be
this fall. I rec. a letter
from Christiana
to day. She is well. She
expects you to visit her
soon. My health is tip
top and Spirets good. I
have not writen you a
very interesting letter this
time, but will try and
do better next time. it is
hot. I have not much ambition
to do any thing. You know how
you feel in hot weather.
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5X
Give my respects to all enqwiring
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8X
Friends especialy Luthers folks, tell him
to write to me and you write again
soon. God bless you and yours. Your
Affectionate Brother
			T C Cheney