Some of the soldiers are collecting mockingbirds to take home.
Napoleonville May 22d 1863
My dear Wife
My dear I donort know how to pass the timein so agreeable a matter in any other way but in writing to you. i have just taken a walk of 2 miles down the Road & back which makes 4 miles.
You see my dear that it is necessary to do something to digest our food so I take a walk morning & evening when I am able which is pretty much all the time. I have not felt well lately but I am in hopes that it is nothing serious. My bowels trouble me considerable. I think it is owing to the climate and mode of life. I am in hopes my dear that I shall learn contentment under suffering, the sun comes down very hot now a days but we generally have some clouds or a breeze that keeps it off so that we do not receive andy serious inconvenience from it. We do not get the mail that left new york on the 6th May yet 6th of May I received a letter from you the other night dated the 23d of April. the last one before that that I had received from you was dated the 7th of April so that I think you must have sent two letters by the steamer that left N. york on the 6th of May. the Captain has not returned fro his trip to N. Orleans but he is down to Laurch Crossing the headquarters of our regiment. We think that his endeavors to get us sent home in June have been sucessful, but we do not krom and shall not until he returns which I think will be tonight. Some of our Boys are getting quite a collection of mocking Birds together to take home with them. it is quite uncertain whether they will be allowed to take them on the vessel with them when they go home therefore I consider it rather risky going to the trouble of trying to raise them unless they can carry home with them. My dear I think I will send you ten dollars $10.00 in this letter and if we do not get payed off again until we get to N. Haven why I will do as the rest do go without. This time when we were payed off I bought me straw hat and a pair of thin shoes and I find a constant use for money in getting something for a change of food but I will send the $10.00 and I shall still have 3 or 4 dollars left. I do not how you get along my dear but I hope you do not suffer for money, if you do you must say so and I can use less myself and still be just as well off. Tobacco down in this country costs very high in fact everything that the soldier buys they charge very high for. I understand that cotton is falling in price. I am very glad to hear that as it will bring the price of cotten goods down a good deal although it may not affect the price immediately. We think the indications are that shall be sent home in June although we are not certain of it but I do want to have you continue to write at least twice a week until I notify you that we are about to sail so that I can have the pleasure of hearing from you. the last letter that I got from you speaks that you are not feeling very well and I feel anxious about you. I hope it is nothing serious, you must take things as easy as you can and not worry if you can help it. You speak about the garden, I will have it with you to do just as you think best about it. I intend when I get home to move inot another place if I should not like that and now My Darling this is your sheet or page. I love you just as well as ever and long just as much as ever to be with you and all the real comfort I have is in your letters which I read over and over again.
If we should go home in Jure it will not be over 3 or 4 weeks we start I hope to meet you before 2 months have rolled around at least I think my dear that I could hardly bring myself to enlist again for so long e time at least although the 3 year men think that we 4 months men are not of much account. My darling how it does stir the inermost depths of my heart when I think of going home. There may be some that like to be away from home but I am not one of their number the dear children think of me you say, they are not old enough to look at the faults of their Parents. I hope that I may never destroy the love that ought to exist between the Parent and Child. Now my darling I love you still and long to be with you which you of course know that is the latter part try and keep in good health if possible as I shall want you to nurse me for a while when I get home if any of our friends or inquire after me give them my respects and believe that the dearest wish I have on earth is to see you
from your devoted Husband
J.D. Bishop
