Bishop is bored. He believes that Sarah enjoys his letters, which is why he writes so often. He worried about getting paid regularly.
Napoleonville La.
May 12th 1863
My Dear Wife
This morning I must write to you although I have a letter on hand that I have not sent to N. Orleans yet. My dear there is no change in our programme we do the same thing one day after another. I have just been up stairs with the dancing Band amusing myself with music. this thing of staying here doing nothing is becoming a very tiresome thing and for my part I am sick of it and I donot care whether the school keeps or not. I am disgusted with the idea that I have got to stay in this service until the 14th of August. we begin to think that the probabilities of our getting out in June are small as the officers seem to be afraid of getting into trouble. my dear wife if there was anything to change the current of ones thoughts but there is one thing over and over day after day but seriously my dear I hope to use reason & discretion in the matter. I think very likely that there will be trouble in the Regt. if they donot let us go home when our time is out. but as it regards my individual action I shall endeavor to do what I think is right and what the Co takes a vote to do I think it will be my duty to sustain whatever the consequences may be but of course it is useless to borrow trouble or to decide until we know what the decision will be in regard to our time.
my dear wife I will try to write about something else besides our time. the weather continues to be pleasant and Favorable for our health and the Regt. I think is healthy. I think that the climate is wearing on all of us but I am in hopes that we shall be able to stick her through. my dear wife if I did not think that it would give you pleasure to receive letters often, I should not write as often as I do because I write sometimes when I really do not know how I am going to make out a letter but my heart is full of you and I think it will give you pleasure even if the letter is not interesting. I suppose my dear that you often have the same difficulty about finding thoughts or material to fill out your letters on the start but I donot see but what you succeed well my darling I want you to put in plenty of fond expressions. with me I often mention about my sensual gratification to you because I consider you the only one that I have a right to open my mind to. you know my darling that we are endowed by nature with passions and desires that crave indulgence, now my darling I donot consider that I have a right to gratify them with any one but you and therefore I once in a while mention them to you hoping that it will not lessen me in your esteem. my darling I love you with a pure love now and wish to do by you so as to conduce to your comfort and happiness and I am in hopes that this feeling will last and remain with me as long as we live.
I am obliged to spend some money to get things necessary for my comfort and I often think that I will try to be more economical so as to send more home for our benefit as a Family. I did not send any the last time that we were paid off because I was afraid that I might not receive any more for a long time and there are times when it is necessary to have some. but my dear I trust that the money part will come out all right.
now my dear wife rest assured that I love you better than any one else on this earth and that I take pleasure in loving you and being loved by you in return, how much I long to clasp you to my breast and imprint an honest kiss on your lips none can know but those that are separated from those they love,
Give my love to the children and believe me to be your devoted Husband
J.D. Bishop
