get along verry well.  You are so well acquainted with him that you can understand me & I merely mention these little things, so you may know how we get along, he & I are in a tent with eight others, a large tent.  Capt Hull promises to get a tent for C. B. Frederick, Billy, Marion & I a small one, we can then cook more to our notion & it will be better in many respects.  Now My Dear you will burn this sheet, as you are all the one I wish to see it, & it might get out of place, I am determined that this arguing, shall cease in our tent.  I you do not wish to burn it you can deface it by writing over it.  Well now my girl, I dont know what to say, I have, exhausted all the materials in the way of news that I have, sometimes I feel like I could write all day, & I am afraid sometimes that I write more than will be really interesting yet I know that anything I write you will be interested in.  I dont know when the mail will leave here & I will leave a short space until near it departure.  I sent you my picture by Mr Christie of Des Moines.  He with a number of others started home on furlows & were detained in St. Louis.  I do not know whether he will get to go or not.  I suppose if not he will mail it to you, it was a verry good one.  I hope you may get it.  I would like to have you get a new one of yourself, taken in plain dress, without your bonnet & send it by him or Mr. Warnock who will go home in a few days, his mother lives on Keokuk Prairie.  I will get him to call on you at M. R. or if you should be any where else you might send it one to him by some one - well I must stop a while.  eve after supper.  I have had crackers & coffee, my health is first rate. every thing has a good taste.  I have been strolling over the country among the orchards & vineyards, & about sundown I came across a walnut tree, the walnuts were dry & nice I sat down & cracked walnuts until dark.  I have no idea yet where we will go from here. some think we will go to Tenesee, some to Vicksburg, & others to the Arkansas River.  I will write before we go if I can.  These walks over the country over quiet farms & orchards &c almost makes me homesick, but I must be a soldier if I can.  I hope some day to be a citizen.  well my dear wife I must bid you good bye may god bless you & keep you from all harm   Lyle
