Company I moved nearby. Bishop looks forward to leaving the army. He thinks about re-enlisting. The newspapers exaggerate.
Bayou Lafourch L.A.
March 3d 1863
Dear Wife
I wrote a letter to you yesterday but I think perhaps you will be glad to receive as many as I shall write.
there is not much to write about but I will try to think of enough to fill out with. the event of this morning is that Co I has moved to this Station and pitched their tents alongside of ours Captain May of Bridgeport is captain of them. it will make it more pleasant for us as it was rather lonesome with only our co. there has also part of another Regt. come over the other side of the Rail Road Bridge. I donot know what they are getting so many troops here for I believe they think that the planters around here are not very reliable but I donot think there is much danger unless the Revels should beat us at Vicksburg. if they should do that I think they would some of them come down this way to get possession of this Rail Road.
Some of our Boys are on a spree and are cutting up considerably today it may end in some trouble for some of them.
my dear wife it is a pleasant day today and we are spending our time as pleasantly as possible. today is the 3d of June [sic; it was actually March 3] we expect that 3 months from today our time will be out, wont that be a glorious time my dear when we can call ourselves our own masters. you cannot conceive my dear how irksome it is to be restrained of your liberty not that I have been restrained any more than the rest but a soldiers life is nothing but a slavish life. my dear how I wish I could convey to you the desire I feel to be with you once more it seems as if it was too good to be realised if it was for nothing else but to sit down to a table and eat a meal of good victuals such as I am in the habit of getting at home. my dear we are curious mortals and are never satisfied. I should not be surprised if I should go into the army again after I get home if I can get such a position as I should like but we cant tell at any rate I want to stay home for a good spell if I am fortunate enough to get there. my dear I only think of the happiness of meeting you and the children and living with you and providing for you and loving you and caressing you and so forth &c.
as it regards Eddies education I must try to find out what will be best for him and try to carrie it out to the best advantage
my dear much that you see in the papers about the bravery of soldiers is not true because it is exagerated a great deal. I see some letters in the Danbury times about the 23d Regt. which I know are exagerated accounts.
I am sorry that you cannot find a house easily but I am in hopes that you will succeed at last. if [I] was home I should get a house a little out of the main street I think.
I have thought that I should like to live out barn plain and I think now that if I could get a lot out there I would put up a shanty house and try to have a home of my own.
well my dear remember that I love you dearly and that all the happiness that I expect to realise at home is in being with you and caring for you and the children
affectionately
J.D. Bishop
