Bishop bemoans the situation at home because of the draft and assures Sarah that despite his negative feelings for politicians and the government, he will do his duty. He inquires about Sarah's effort to find a house and is tired of the 'selfishness of the avaricious people of Danbury' . He reports that they are in a sickly country in danger of being surrounded by the enemy at any time that they choose and describes the disposition of the regiment.
Napoleonville La.
April 10th 63
My Dear Wife
last night at 9 o'clock or later our mail came from Lafourche and I received 3 letters by it. one of them was dated March the 1st another March 17th another March 28th. I was very glad to hear from you my dear wife and thankful to hear that you and the children were all well with the exception of Katie. I am in hopes that they will all get through with the mumps without serious detriment.
I see by your letters that party feeling runs high in Danbury. it is nothing more than I expected. you must not be deceived as to the Patriotism of Politicians. those men that are the most active at public meetings in favor of prosecuting the war will be the last to risk themselves they talk loudly the [same] as Smith Barnum does but you will find that when they are drafted that they will to a man pay their 300 dollars. I have got the utmost contempt for that class of men. they do not know what they are talking about. no man knows what it is to go soldiering but those that have tried it. if they did know they would not submit to be drafted for 3 years. fortunately for us the government has left us that are in the service free from the liability to draft for 2 years. My dear wife I donot wish you to understand by what I have written above that I am not in favor of the Government being sustained because I am. but I would have the rich and the poor take hold together and not put it in the power of the rich to get rid of service unless they paid roundly for it.
how is it in Danbury my dear wife in Danbury you went searching around for a House and because you had 4 children you could not rent one except of such a man as Martin Griffin and he asks twice as much as he ought to. I had rather that you would offer him another dollar a month a not have a family go up stairs to live. I donot find any fault with you my dear wife but I find fault with that miserable avaricious spirit that exists in Danbury and I should not be at all surprised if before this war was ended they had a war in Connecticut in opposition to the draft.
Perhaps if they should some of their Houses would not rent as high as they do now.
My dear I am sick of writing you about the selfishness of the avericious people of D. and I will not say any more about it. here we are way down in this sickly country in danger of being surrounded by the enemy at any time that they choose to do it because we are only one Co. and a good many of them are detailed for other service and we are 15 miles from Donaldsonville on one side and 18 miles on the other from our forces and the rebels within 10 or 15 miles of us and all that prevents their coming upon us now is that they have probably got to all stay there and fight Gen. Wetzel. I should not be at all surprised if they should take us all prisoners before we get away from here but I hope not of course.
[Ed. There may be a remaining portion of the letter that is missing.]
