Fort Wadsworth, Va.
November 4th 1864
Dear Aunt [Mary P. Brown],
I have just received your letter dated October 30th and you may be sure that I am glad to hear from you, and as I am at leisure now I will improve the opportunity in answering it. I believe that there has nothing of much importance transpired in this vicinity since I wrote to you last. Most of the troops are putting up winter quarters. The weather has been quite rainy for the last few days and it is beginning to feel some like winter. My tent mate and I have got a little fireplace built of brick in the side of our tent and it seems quite cozy, you may be sure, to sit down before a good fire in a house of our own although the house is nothing but a piece of cloth stretched over a pole.
Our Captain is home on leave of absence now but we expect him back in a few days. Lieut. Smyth of Co. A has changed of us while he is absent. I have been assisting again about making out the payrolls for the last month. Have got them most done and I suppose we will be paid off again shortly. I received a letter Aunt Betsey a short time ago. She and Aunt Mary have moved up to Houlton and they were at our house waiting for their goods to arrive when she wrote. The folks at home were all as well as usual. Mother is as busy as ever for she hardly ever gets time to write. I haven’t heard from Edwin or Frank very lately. I haven’t seen Abbie’s correspondent yet. I would like to know at what place he dates his letters because I should be more likely to find him if I knew where his Battery was stationed. Maybe is it not in the field and if not, it is of no use for me to look for it.
I am enjoying very good health at present and in fact my health has been as good as possible for a long time. I don’t think I ever enjoyed half as good health at home and that is saying considerable you know. Don’t know but I shall be tempted to enlist again after I get my discharge id they will take me but I hope they will not want any more recruits after this winter.
I don’t think of anything more to write so I will close for this time. Give my love to all the folks and accept a good share yourself. Write as often as convenient. from your nephew, — Albert C. Brown
Co. C, 16th Regt. Me. Vols.
Spared & Shared 21 