1862 February 16 Mr. McPherson's

Mt Dear Mother

Your & father's letter came last
Thursday. I suppose you are all well tho'
you say nothing about it. You mention
father's fatigue but say nothing
about his health. Was he well when
he reached home? I have been fearful
that the excessive fatigue wh: he must
have undergone would make him sick.

I am gradually improving & hope to
be able to join my company in less
than a week. Tell father that two more
of my company have come over since
he left with mumps; & that Mr. McMillin
^'has' forfeited the high esteem in wh: Mrs.
McPherson held him, by getting in
a 'bender' two successive nights. He had
better be in camp. I am afraid that
father represented our company in a
a [as found] bad light to you, if he judged it by
the only specimen he saw. Mrs. M. charges
me five dollars a week instead of three, but
as I have drawn some money I can pay
it very well. A very large number of the

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soldiers are reenlisting. From 10 to 15 of our
company will ^'get' furloughs for 30 days on
Monday; (among them Bb Knight) having
reenlisted for two years or the war. The law
is that not more than one twentieth of each
company may have furloughs ^'at a time' if they re-
enlist. This seems to be quite an induce-
ment. More than half of our company
would. These had a meeting & cast lots to
see who should apply for a "F" as it is
called by the soldiers; the understanding
being that those only who got the allowed
number of long straws should apply or
reenlist. By this means, you see; they so
managed that none reelisted but the
no. who got would get furloughs. If 10 were
allowed to go at a time by the law there
wd: be ten long straws. Dr. Palmer says
that my time expires with that of the
company wh: is the 21st of April & says he
has authority for saying so. I am sorry
if this is so: I had hopes it wd: be as
I wrote you in my last letter. I
would like very much to serve during
the summer & leave in the beginning
of winter. You all have doubtless
seen the law: as to militia Va's quota of

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soldiers. I don't know whether to reen-
list now or not. As the time draws
near many are doing so who did
not intend to. I am desirous of perform-
ing what ever duty falls upon me in
Life.If it is necessary to ensure the safe-
ty of our cause that the old soldiers
should reenlist. I do not think I would
be exempt, & I am disposed to think
now there will be such a necessity.
The North is undoubtedly putting forth
all her resources, (wh: are very great
in every point of view) for one grand
effort. to meet this every power sh:
we can bring to bear will be greatly
needed -- indeed if we beat it back every
where at the first onset, we will not only
be fortunate, but I will be forced to im-
pute our success to divine interference.
If in this we succe^'e'd, the war must be short;
for the north will be exhausted -- on the
other hand, we would be driven into the
interior of the state & the war a desolating
one to Va. & protracted p^'e'rhpas to several years
before we succeed. That we shall succeed
I don't see how any sane person can doubt.
Still I know that three years (altogether) in

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camp can not have a favourable
influence on any young man's man-
ners. I do not say morals because
I do not fear its effect in that way,
and I some times think I might be
able to do more good elsewhere & I
believe I have a sincere desire to do
good as much as I can.