Saturday eve after supper, if you are thinking of to morrow & its privaleges & duties & I have no doubt that a though will well up in your bosom & from the depts of your warm heart for one far away, & O my own dear Mary how cheering the though is to me, that in all my disappointments, & toilsome marches you would gladly share them with if it wer posible, I think there are few men here who have so faithful a wife as I have in this respect, or any other for I do not see such long & well filled letters, & the boys often remark "did you get all that at once, why it is equal to the Tribune"? but don't think from this that any one but myself have the privalege of reading them, your little confidential notes are read & burned immediately, so that any thing you will confide to me shall only be known by me, send something in every letter confidential, tell me all about your health.  And now my girl you will most likely go into buisness & I would caution you in some things, for although I am reckless myself in buisness matters, & often miss it by being too lenient, yet I know pretty nearly how it ought to be done, & I would say have every thing fairly understood & put down in writing.  I know that this advice is as little needed in your case as in probably almost any other, but be cautious particularly with friends & above all look out for your health, for you verry well know that it is a verry unhealthy buisness, be cautious, Keep me posted in all matters pertaining to your health, & remember that you have more energy than muscle or constitutional vigor, & if you find your health will not permit of your perseverance, quit in time.  Now it is likely that you will not hear from me for a good while & before you get this you will be uneasy you must not be too anxious it cannot be expected that while we are away off in a hostile country & among enemies that we can have mail facilities equal to those in times of peace, we will still be marching on further South & of course we will not hear from each other as often as we could wish. let us think there is a better day ahead
