He's sleeping well, but would sleep better at home with his wife.
Lafourche Crossing La.
June 9th 1863
My dear Wife,
This afternoon we received a mail containing a letter from you, of date May 241h, my dear I did not much expect to get a letter by this mail but I see that I am agreeably disappointed, my dear I was glad to get the letter as I always am to hear from you and to hear that you have no serious illness and also that the children are well. My darling I am glad to have you write what the children are engaged in at the time you write as I have to visualize seeing them engaged as you describe, you state that you got the shoes for the children but none for yourself do not fail to get nice gaiters because you know that I like those and like to see your feet and ankles look trim.
Well my darling I helped make music for another burial today but I hope we shall not lose any more but we cannot hope to escape altogether, we are being to catch service now, the commanding officer at the Bay has ordered that the Reville shall be beat at 4 o'clock in the morning and the men served with coffee and that they shall be drilled 3 hours each day. The sun pounds down with an intensity sometimes that I am afraid that it will kill off the men if they undertake to carry out such orders, but I think that it will play out as they say in the army. Last night I slept out doors as usual and slept as sweetly on a board as I used to on a Feather Bed but still I long to get into a nice clean bed with white sheets along side of you my dear Wife. The very thought stirs me up. I hope I may reallise it.
My darling if I should live to get home how good it would seem to be able to lie down at night in security without the prospect of being aroused in the night with the alarm but I always lie down at night knowing that whatever happens that I must meet it like a man.
I feel that God has been merciful to us as a company since we have been out in not bringing us into Battle and I am in hopes that we shall not find it necessary to oppose the enemy but if we are called to measure arms with them I hope we shall strike manfully as it becomes men and soldiers. We hear nothing from P. Hudson yet and I do not know how Gen. Banks is getting along there. I hope for the best.
My darling how much I do want to see you, how my heart is filled with you. I feel as if I could smother you with kisses. I do not wish to smother you until you could not breath, but figuratively.
My dear wife I feel as if I could give you everything that I have and that I could almost become your slave but then you would not wish that because you could not respect me. My darling if you will not be afraid to trust me entirely and if you will love me as you say you do you need not be afraid but what I will walk with you when you desire it and you may expect that I will try to please you if you will only give yourself up to me entirely (that is where you ought). I do not now speak sensually but I mean to talk to me of your thoughts and trust me with your very nature, such my dear Wife is the way I feel toward you, and such my dear Wife I think is necessary to perfect love and perfect union.
My darling I love you just as you are but if I can increase your happiness and my own it is worth the Trial my darling these thoughts are suggested by the experience of the past and by a knowledge of my own nature. I think of you daily and hourly and always with the same love and desire to be with you.
Give my love to the dear children and kiss them for me and believe me to be your loving Husband.
J. D. Bishop
