The chaplain died. Lots of sickness. He's excited about her garden and vegetables.
Lafourche Crossing La.
June 12th 1863
My dear Wife,
This being a hot June morning and feeling just as if I would rather write to you than to anything else I would make a commencement how I shall make out I know not.
This morning we escorted the corps [corpse] of the Chaplain of the Regt. down to the Cars preparatory to his being taken to N.O. to be deposited in a vault so that he can eventually be taken home.
this evening there is to be another burial of the 1st sergt. of Co. E. I expect that we shall have a great deal of sickness to encounter from this time but I am in hopes that through the mercy of God that we shall most of us be spared to return to our homes, as it regards our war news there is no change, I wrote a sheet to you yesterday and did not think that I should write another one to day but I feel as if I might just as well be writing to you as to do be doing nothing. we have quite strong hopes that we shall start for home by the middle of July, that would only make us about a month longer to stay in this climate. I hope and pray that it may prove true. I do so long to be at home with you darling and recruit up my debilitated. this hot weather rather gets us, but I hope with care to keep from any serious illness. if I was home now I could help about the Garden or I could make it altogether you know that I am quite a gardiner over the left. I am glad that you are raising plenty of vegetables my darling so that we can have them when I do get home. I think they will taste good. W [we] never have any vegetables here to eat not even potatoes except once in a great while. I think I could do some of your cooking justice it will seem strange to us at first undoubtedly to sit down to the table and eat good cooked vituals.
I sometimes wonder my darling what I am going to do when I get home to earn money enough to take care of you all with but I think the first thing to be done is to get home, donot you? I hope to find things in such condition that there will be something for the poor man to do besides going to war.
but Providence generally provides for the shorn lamb and I trust he will for us. the time to me now my darling seems to be the most critical as the time of our discharge from service approaches. Now my darling I wish I could write so as to convey to you how dear you are to me but if you feel the desire to see me that I do you will understand how that there can be no one else that can be so dear.
you my darling have been the wife of my bosom and have received all the fond caresses that love permits and I my dear have received from you that attention and affection which a wife only can give and be virtuous. my darling I thank you for the kindness that you have always shown to me and hope that I shall live to repay you with affection and kind protection. you are now the protector of our children and have the burden of taking care of them but I hope to share it with you soon and may our heavenly Father have us in his holy keeping.
receive my fondest love and believe me to be your devoted Husband
J. D. Bishop
