No 54)  
Camp of 23rd Iowa Inft Duvalls Bluffs, Ark
  Monday P.M. Dec 5th 1864
  My Dearest:  I have Just received yours of Nov 23d (No 50) No 49 has failed to come to time, but as all the rest have come in due time (or after they were due,) I shall look for it.  I was indeed happy to learn that you were all in usual health & that you are so verry healthy.  I am sorry that I cannot report so favorably for myself, but "honesty is the best policy" & I am compelled to admit that I don't feel well to say the least.  But I think by the next time I write that I'll feel better, I think its only cold, my throat is much better, but such a cough as I have! last night & night before I had the privalege of remaining in my bunk most of the night, I most generally have to get up & make a fire & sit by it two or three hours & cough, & I cough so hard too, but it was always so with me, a cough with me has always been caused by irritation in the throat, Just now I am coughing - lustily.  Well this essay on cough & colds will suffice for the present, I think I will be better in a few days.  Let me thank you for the stamps, they came in good time, I only have 2 or 3 left.  I never think to say any thing about sending home any money.  We have been moving about so much this summer & fall that we have missed all paymasters.  I wrote you last from Brownsville, Just as we were packing up to leave as we thought for Memphis.  I have never seen our Regt so taken back as when we were ordered into Camp at this place, I wrote you that by Sunday we would be in Memphis.  That was quite a mistake But I must close for the present for Dress Parade.  We still keep that up
