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Head Qrs. Co. “A” 129th Ills. Vol. Infty.
Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 10th 1863

My Dear Wife

I shall start for Stevenson at 6 A.M. to-morrow if nothing happens & shall not receive the letter I expect is in the mail for me until I return, which will most probably be Monday evening [the 14th]. I wrote a long letter this morning & have but little more to write.¹ I am quite well. I intended to write to Sister Maggie [Utley] & Sarah Williams to-day, but have failed after I concluded the one to you. It was so warm, & this evening we were out on drill until after dark. I don’t know why it is, but, aside from the letters I write to you, I find but little time to write.

I am generally on duty 4 days in the week, & when in Camp we have generally about 6 hours drill each day,² which with the company writing & Board of Survey consumes nearly all my time. I get a glance at a paper occasionally.

I did not answer your letter as fully this morning as I intended but am not able to-night to do it. I am tired, & my feet are very sore & painful. I shall be happy always to receive your letters so full of interest. If I could sit down a few hours & reflect, I could find very much that I should love to write about, but I shall continue to hope that I may get home before your visit is ended.

Nelson’s child is still living, & the Dr. thinks it may live a few days longer. It suffers intensely, & they would be happy if death would relieve it from misery.

It is quite late, & I must close. Give my love to all the family & Remember me kindly to all our friends. May Our Father in Heaven Keep you from all harm & preserve you in health & happiness. Farewell.

Your Affect Husband
J. F. Culver

1. J.F.C.’s letter to his wife, written on the morning of the 10th, is missing from the Culver Collection. [↩]
2. In September reveille sounded at 5 A.M.; guard mount at 7 A.M.; company drill at 7:30 A.M.; dinner 12 noon; retreat at 7 P.M.; and tattoo at 8 P.M. There were either battalion or brigade drills in the afternoons Mondays through Fridays, and dress parades on Sundays at 5 P.M. Regimental Papers, 129th Illinois, NA. [↩]