ments to you, a soldier in the true sense of word, or a man that is a real soldier is worthy of respect, but they are not all.  I am making these statements to you so that you may know that not all the men who wear blue coats are worthy of your respect.  I am striving make myself a soldier & to retain my self respect, & I know if I can do this that you will both respect & love me.  I think that I enjoy the respect & confidence of all with whom I am acquainted, & I feel very well satisfied that this respect is not diminishing.  Not long ago, while we were on the last march during a snow storm, some of the boys were talking about whisky & how well they would like to have some to drink.  Dr. Hull said, "yes and Lyle I think with all your known strictly temperance principles you certainly would drink a little brandy this evening.  I told him I had never yet seen the necessity for it & I have not.  I told him a good warm supper with coffee or tea would answer a better purpose, he thought, a good drink of brandy would be verry good, now I am aware that your keen sense of propriety will see that it would look better for some one else than myself say these things, but I feel like giving you my views & experience.  There is a great deal of drinking & gambling going on all around me, yet I feel no temptation whatever.  I know that you will have no fears for me in this respect, but we all have our weaknesses & I do not write to you as I do in a boasting spirit.  No my dearest I trust that the hand of our Heavenly Father leads me & will guide me through all these trials & dificulties.  I feel the need of His guiding hand & I think that I can feel here the comforts of the religion "we profess more than I did at home, God has promised that he who trusts in him he will in no wise cast out, & he that calleth on him will be heard.  I have an abiding trust in the precious promises contained in the scriptures.  I have not heard a sermon or a prayer for nearly two months, when we were at Vanburen I think Barton has preached to us only 3 or 4 times since we left Burnside.  Now I wish you to keep all this strictly to yourself, for I do not wish
