Bishop tells of rain and challenges of correspondence. He hears the the regiment will move to Fortress Monroe and numbers between 50 and 70 thousand. He relates that he lacks friendship with others in the regiment.
Camp Buckingham [LI, NY]
Tuesday, November 20th 1862
Dear Wife
Having an opportunity to write and have it taken directly to Danbury I thought I would improve it. I put a letter into the post office of the regiment yesterday for you and perhaps you will get this as soon as you do that. My dear Wife we have had 2 days of rainy weather since we have been on Camp but we have a stove and that makes it more comfortable for us we have no Bed ticks now [Ed. Probably referring to bed ticking or padding, not insects] but we put the straw on the ground and spread our Blankets down and lie down we find it comfortable enough and manage to get along with it with as little grumbling as possible. Although there is a good deal of that. There always will be because there will always be some cause for it. This morning we did not have our Breakfast before 9 o'clock and the men were growling around and so it is. Well my dear Wife I cannot write you much news but I have just heard that we are going to be sent down to Fortress Monroe while the expedition is getting ready but we cannot tell how true the rumour is. I am in hopes that we shall stay here for 3 weeks so that I can get a furlough to come up to Danbury and see you and the children.
My dear Wife I want to see you and my heart goes out to you. I am ever as contented as possible but I shall be glad when the 9 months is ended. How much we do have to learn by experiences in this world. When we are at home we think we would like to go out into the world and partake of some of the Bustle and danger of War but the experience opens our eyes to'the superior blessings of home.
How are the little Children do they miss their Papa. I know they do because they are not old enough to be aware that he is not perfection. I understand that we are to have 50 or 70 thousand troops in this expedition. I hope I shall have a chance to come and see you before we start. I think it is likely that the experience that I shall gain will be beneficial to me if I ever get back again. I am going to try to bear the hardships like a man if [I] can.
My dear you are the only person in the world that I can really call my friend there is so much duplicity in the world that you hardly know whom to trust expecially in an army. Every body is for himself. The tent mates growl at one another and everything. But we have to take it and make the best of it. My dear Sarah accept of my love and believe that if I donot always prove as affectionate as I ought that is owing to the imperfection of my disposition. Tell the children that I think of them often and want to see them all. Kiss them all for me and let one of them kiss you for me and believe me to be your affectionate Husband
J.D.B.
