Letter dated April 10th, 1864
April 10 1864
Camp near Culpeper Virginia
Dear Ett best beloved
Yours is before me and gladly it was received and glad was I to hear that you was all well. My health is good yet only I have a very bad cold. I was sorry to hear that my little girt had been sick. Kiss her often for me. You said I must write more often. I think I write about 2 to you one and I will bet I want to hear from you as often as you do from me. It seems Re a long time to wait for a letter every time I write you. You never said anything about the rings I sent you. Did you get them? Did you get two letters with money in them? The last two you did not say as you got only the last one you have done well to have as much as you have. You must use all you want for your comfort and Linas. If it takes all you get. Keep your money yourself I will send you all I can. The weather is very wet here now so we will have to lay still here till it gets dry again. That may be some time yet for it rains most every day. It rained all day yesterday and all night. This regiment is to be discharged the 27 of May. That is all that came out 3 years ago. The rest of us will be consolidated with some other. There is a fortuneteller here. He says that all of the drafted men will be home within one year from the time they came in. He says we will go from this camp to Washington. He has us all the moves that we have made. He has said we would not be in any fights and we have not yet, though it has been very near it some times. Oh what would I give to know that he tells the truth about our coming home. You can guess that Henry Knox is to home. He has got his discharge. Did you know that he was married to one of the Bevets girls before he was drafted? He has been home about 5 weeks. I got a letter from him and one from Hiram the other day. There now dear, I can't write any more this time so I will say goodbye
Yours only and truly
W.W.vanAmber
Oh yes, that eye water has done my eyes lots of good. They have not been sore any since I got it. I have never opened the bottle yet. No don't fret and worry about my going into battle for I shall have to go just the same and that won't do you or me any good. Take good care of myself, now that is plain out that you don't mean what you say. I know better but then I will try to just to spite you. I am agoing to come back some time, don't know when just to bother you and keep you awake nights. That is all I will finish this some other time.
Good by wwv
As Ever