I received the greenback ($5.00) to day.  I thank you a thousand times for it my Own Dear Wife.  I will use it only as I stand in imperative need of some thing. that the government does not furnish.  I sometimes fear that while I am telling you Just what I think & how I am getting along that I overdo it sometimes.  It is owing to the fact that as you know I can confide all to you. most men I think write some kind of news to their wives, & keep back most of their hardships & trials.  I can't do so, I always feel like it was cheating you or deceiving you & I cannot do that.  Sometimes I almost regret what I have written for fear you will think it is not manly, but I know from the happy days we have spent together & from your dear sweet letters to me that you love me & will excuse me for almost anything so that I am true to you & candid in all things.  & now I expect you would like to know Just how I feel about the war. & how the soldiers generally feel.  I mean the intelligent, sober & substantial portion of our little army here.  We think, we are helping a set of unprincipled leeches who are sucking the verry lifeblood of our government & will run the government to ruin unless this thing is stoped.  We are not paid off as agreed upon.  We are swindled in every way. & our General (Davidson) in an inhuman man for instance, night before last there were about 200 men as pickets. forming a chain of about 11 miles around the camp.  We started out at 2 P.M. & were out until the next day at 4 P.M. it was a cold windy night, freezing cold.  We had no fires, no sleep, & had to patroll 2 hours, over roughest mountains, then lay down & stand 4.  the same yesterday & last night, O we almost froze, my dear it is inhuman
