Bishop bemoans being away from home and the Army of the Potomac.
Napoleonville
May 26th 1863
Dear Wife
having returned from my morning walk I will proceed to write my daily letter to you hoping thereby to encourage or strengthen you undcr the extra duty that you are called upon to perform in consequence of my abscence. The new[sj from the Mississippi is encouraging up to the present time and I am in hopes will continue until we shall get complete possession of that great thoroughfare of Travel & Transportation. 1 myself feel great interest in the opening of it as I should like to go home that way if 1 could get discharged in N. Orleans but 1 shall have to wait a spell and see how things turn out. it may be that the Navigation of the river will not be safe for some times to come.
now my dear of course when I write so often I shall not be able to write news altogether and what I do write may not be of much interest but you must take the will for the deed. My dear we do not receive any mail yet that is I did not get any letter by the last mail but we have heard that 3 or 4 steamers have arrived at N. Orleans and we think we shall get our mail to night and then I hope to hear from you. the last letter that you sent me mentioned that you were not feeling very well and I feel somewhat anxious about you. I should dreadfully hate to lose you now that I have discovered your worth and I should also want to see you and tell you how much I thought of you and how much I calculated to try to do to make you happy my darling. I hope my dear that you will try to help me in my resolves. I hope you will bear with me patiently when I am impatient and advise and encourage me by your smiles & caresses. I hope you will really put your heart into this work and I will meet you more than halfway. I feel my dear as if I could throw myself upon your generosity and I hope you will not disappoint me. My dear wife if my absence should result in cementing our hearts closer together thereby enabling us to live in happiness I shall feel that the sacrifice has been small although I have felt keenly our separation.
I was sorry to hear that Hooker had not crossed the river again to atack the Rebs at Fredericksburgh. I thought he had Richmond nearly taken by this time, there seems to be something the matter with the management of the Army of the Potomac! What is it? Can you tell? it is puzzling the wisest heads of the Nation. Treason must be lurking somewhere, if you find out let me know. Banks of this department seems to be winning laurels in greater quantities than any other General that we have. I think he has proved himself to be the smartest fighting Gen. that we have in the field. I confess that I am disappointed in him and agreeably so as I did not think that he would be able to fill Gen. Butlers place. Our Regt. has never been in an engagement yet as you know and I suppose that when we get home that we shall not receive as much consideration as we should do if we had fought and lost part of our men. for my own part I am willing that others should possess the glory if we can return to our families with health and strength.
This is the page that is dedicated to you my dear. This morning my heart is filled with love for you and I feel as if I could give you my whole self and throw myself entirely on your generosity. you will not betray the trust will you my darling, my wife. The future is not open to our visions my dear and what will happen to us we know not but the present is ours and I speak with thankfulness to our Creator and Saviour and I am thankful that you are my wife and that you possess my entire confidence, my darling. I love you and I respect you notwithstanding that I can remember that I have not alway been tender to you as I ought to have been but my dear repentance has its value although it comes Late. Try my dear and help me to mould my disposition anew if possible so that harmony may always exist between us. I hope that your health will keep good and that we both shall be united again when the proper time comes, when God allows it. Kiss the children for me and encourage them to love and obey us both. Continue to write as often yourself as you can and add to the happiness of your loving Husband
J.D.B
