blood boil to think that the men that have to endure the severest of the hardships & receive so little pay, must be cheated out of what is necessary to sustain life, while those who endure but little & whose loyalty is doubtful are making their fortunes; there is so much corruption among us that I hardly to hope for success.  You say that you may go to Vicksburg, O! I can't bear the thought of it, the whole army there is sick, over a hundred die daily, but I ought to have learned before this that I have no choice in the matter, you are no longer under your own contoll or my wishes, as Mrs Bird said yesterday, all that we can do, is to commit into the hands of God what a comfort it is to feel that we have a Father that cares for us, whose arm is strong to save, Put your whole trust in him my husband, no matter how much deceit & wickedness you see in men, even those that you may have believed to be good and true, don't allow it to shake your confidence in the reality of religion, or the truth of God, I have no doubt that you often derive comfort from sources unknow to the unregenerate heart, my prayer to God continualy is, that you may be kept from yielding to temptation & that you mind & morals may not be contaminated by contact with ungodly wicked men; we hear that the Suttlers, Hull & Lyon are keeping whiskey to sell to the poor soldiers, O what an outrage, how many young men that would never think of drinking at home, who now away from the restraints of society and friends, will be ruined body and soul; use your influence for good, let your light shine; and try to cultivate a love & taste for all that is good & pure and "lovely; hold your self aloof from the low, & degraded as much as possible.  My health is pretty good, I don't think I feel quite as well as I done, but I think it is owing to so much damp, disagreeable weather, the snow is mostly gone, & it is very muddy, & is warm & cloudy, we will doubtless have rain or snow before 24 hours; I have not heard a word from Fathers folks since I came home.  I suppose father is better or they would have let me know.  My paper is almost fill & it will soon be mail time & as this won't go out until Monday, if it don't today, I will close & write soon again.
