Dear Wife
I seat myself this evening to answer your letter of the 17th which I received this evening & was glad to hear from you again. I am well at present & hope this may find you enjoying the same Blessing of God. I Just came in off of picket this evening & I am very tired. I do apine you, but I think I will be all right by morning again. I do not know if it is worth while to write to you at all now. It is said that the mails are stopped for Sixty days & if you get this letter you will please answer it immediately & if you do not get to hear from me for awhile you must not get uneasy for if the mails are not Suspended already, they will be surely before long, & perhaps thet are now, but I hope they are not, for I would like very much to have you get this letter. If you should not get any more of them for awhile & as for stopping the mails I think that is absolutely necessary for the good of the service. Some fools never know what they ought to write. All I write will not do the goverment any harm. But they are not all so & consequently they must stop the mails. I got a letter from George today & one from Major Hale. They are all getting along first rate. George thinks Peter is not quite so keen for the west anymore as he was ay first & that he has got the Virginia Fever again. Well, I think he would as well have waited a few months anyway, seen further for they will pull the wool over his eyes as same as the Dickens if he is not careful.
Well, we have had very pleasant weather here for the last week, but it looks for rain now again. Well I cannot tell you anything new at this time & you will have to excuse my short letter for this time. Hoping to hear from you some again. I will bring my letter to a close for this time & may God Bless you & keep you is my prayer.
Write soon & I Remain your affectionate Husband,
Jacob Bushey
To Mrs. Lydia A. Bushey
My Best Respects to All My Friends