The 23rd's officers are engaged with a Court Martial. Bishop is "surrounded with music." Bishop lives with the musicians who despite being off duty, continue to make music. Reports are that the band has improved under Bishop. 3 or 4 privates were Court Martialed for sleeping on Guard and wear a chain and Ball for 15 days and deprived of one month's pay. Bishop hears reports from the papers that the democratic party gaining in power in the North and argues that extinction of slavery should be not be one of the goals of the war. 'I think the country will be better if it is curtailed but I donot think that a sudden freedom of all the slaves would be beneficial.'
Brashear City [LA]
23 Regt.
January 26th
Dearest Wife
not having as much to do today as usual on account of the officers being engaged with a Court Martial I thought I would set you a good example by writing often. I should like to receive a letter from you as often as the arrival of every mail. I think the mail arrives here about twice a week, so that if you write about twice a week I shall be able to get letters from you as often as that. My dear as I have often told you in my letters I take great pleasure in receiving your letters. I sent a letter I think by the mail of the 23rd and one 3 or 4 days before that. I am surrounded with music the musicians are not on duty until ½ past 4 Some are playing on the violin some are singing and some are whistling. I have them room with me so that I can control them and have them when I want them. I receive a great many compliments on the improvement of the Band since I have taken charge of it. there has no change taken place in the disposition of the Regt. since I wrote you except that 3 or 4 privates have been Court Martialed for getting to sleep while on Guard. the last time we were on dress parade the sentence of one of them was read. it was that he should wear a chain and Ball for 15 days and be deprived of one months pay.
so that you may be thankful that I am not a private. I am. My little deary the days and months are passing away and will continue to do so even though I should not be left to witness it but I hope it may be in the plan of Providence that we both may realize the expiration of the time of our expiration. if it was not that my time is pretty much occupied with the duties of my
position I should be very impatient of the slowness of time, but I endeavor to cultivate that excellent article. but, ( as the man said when he ran into the fence) I hope everything will come around right.
darling I see by some of the papers that the democratic party is coming into Power in the North. I concientionaly [conscientiously] think that it will be to the advantage of the whole country to have a change so that there can be a basis to settle this war on besides the extinction of slavery. I think the country will be better if it is curtailed but I donot think that a sudden freedom of all the slaves would be beneficial.
My dear little Wife I long to see you and I long to give you a good hug and I long to have you rest your head on my bosom so that I can talk to you and tell you how much I love you. my dear I want to have you dress pretty and tastily so that there may be nothing to jar my feelings so that we may have nothing to create discordant feelings after I come home if I should be allowed to get there. My dear rest assured that I love you fondly and my sincerest with is to be with you from your affectionate Husband
J. D. Bishop
