Sarah sends candy and a cake and Bishop informs her of the folly of such an undertaking but appreciates that gesture. Some items shipped from home did not spoil in transit. They are expecting that there will be a fighting at Bayou Teche but nothing has occurred. A discussion of the draft, its impact on Danbury and implied slight against the Emancipation Proclamation.
[Bayou Lafourche, LA] Friday
March 13th 1863
My dear Wife
the Boxes have just arrived and have all been opened. and every thing was spoiled even to the tobacco. I found the Candy and writing paper & Walnuts not spoiled. the cake was mouldy so that I did not dare to eat it. My dear little wife I appreciate your present and wish that it could have come in good order but your intentions were good and that is just as good as if I had made myself sick.
darling it is too far to send things unless they are sealed up in a tin case. all the Boys are disappointed in finding everything spoiled. never mind my dear I will eat the candies and think that you are as sweet as they are.
my dear how I wish I could fold you in one long embrace, not that I wish to squeeze you to death but just to let you know I arrived.
Bayou Lafourche L.A.
March 13th 1863
My dear wife
I can just as well send 2 sheets in an envelope as one so I must write some more although there is not much news. the Boys all stood around anxiously watching the opening of the Box to see what was in it. and when they saw that everything mostly was spoiled it made them feel bad to think of the trouble & expense our friends had been at for little purpose. but some of the things were not spoiled. I was sorry about the Tobacco as I had been thinking that I should have some in the Box but I have money enough for the present to buy necessary articles and once in a while a glass of Beer.
we have not been paid off the second time yet as we expected to be on the 1st of March but I think we shall be in the course of a month.
it is time now for dress parade and I expect to hear the drummers call every minute and I shall have to play for ½ an hour.
well my dear the dress parade is over and I have had my supper of tea & Biscuits & molasses. we generally have some boiled Rice for supper with molasses on it but I have got so sick of it that I donot eat it. Shorty Smith had a new soft Hat in the Box and some others had them such things did not get spoiled.
My dear little wife I can hear Cannon in the distance I suppose it is up at Brashear City. I presume they are practicing at the fortifications. we have been expecting that there would be a Battle up on the Teche [Bayou Teche] but it has not come off yet.
My dear little wife I donot care to write much about anything else but you. I donot think of much else but you and the children when I am off duty. I suppose the children will be as glad to see me as I shall to see them. I dare say ifwe should be spared that I shall find that the children have grown a good deal. I look at their daguerotypes often and see how much they look like themselves or how natural the pictures are. how much all the soldiers of the entire army think of their homes the very precariousness of the business causes them to think more fondly of home and friends.
the Conscription Bill I see has passed Congress and I suppose the people of Danbury that are liable to be draughted will be scared almost to death and will be willing to pay a pretty good Bounty for soldiers. they may as well be scared at the prospect of leaving their homes for 2 or 3 years. they little know what soldiering really is. I wish some of the abolitionists could come down in this country and see what it is to emancipate slaves.
Well my dear wife I have written this of anything that would fill out but you must excuse anything that is not interesting to you and believe that I love you dearly and long to take you in my arms.
from your loving husband J. D. Bishop
