Civil War Letter - 76th Pennsylvania Infantry

Description

Camp Copeland
October 3
rd
1863
Friend Enoch,
Yours of the 28
th
came to hand yesterday morning.  I take the first opportunity to answer it. I was glad to hear from you and the rest of the folks and to hear that you are all well.  I am well and hope this will find you the same.  I am on guard duty every other day.  I have just come off this morning.  We are on two hours and off four.  I have not got any news to write.  I should like to see you and all the rest of the folks at home and be about there.  I think if I was there I could enjoy myself better than I do here.  But that can’t be at present.  I do not know how long I shall stay here.  When we leave here we go to the regiment.  We do not get another examination.  They think here that there will be another draft as soon as they get through with this one.  I am afraid that the war is not as near played out as we were in hopes of when I left home.
As for Martha Smith leaving home.  I am sorry she has been so foolish as to do so.  But I hope she will have a good time before she gets back again.
You wished me to excuse you for not writing sooner.  I shall have to do so for I expect you have a plenty to do.  But I think of my letters were as welcome as yours.  You would find time to write a few lines in less than two weeks.
I hope you will excuse this writing.  For I find that it is different here from what it is to sit down to a stand or table.
Tell Emeline that here few lines were thankfully accepted.
Yours truly,
Ira H. Woodward