Dear Wife
Having a few moments of Leasure this pleasant morning I will write you a few lines. Again to let you know that I am well & hearty at present & hope this fines you in the enjoyment of the same Blessing of God. The weather has not been so warm here the last two days as it had been. Some few days previous to the first of the month we have had some little rain. But it has not been wet. Since we cam here we have not had a regular ----- rain. Since we came to this state when it does rain it rains just as fast as it can put it down & then it is done with it & no to the the solders that are out on duty without shelter. For they are sure to be soaked to the skin in less time than it takes me to write this. We have no fighting news here at present of my account. Strangers & citizens no doubt could no doubt find enough to write about but we are getting so used to the things & scenes around us that they fail to interest us & then we are apt to think everybody else feels the same way. All the news I have first now of the Rebels is that there were night before last five & yesterday three deserted from the Rebel Army & came inside of our lines & joined our Army & they say there are about one hundred more waiting to come in
I think the only Rebel Force near this is at a place called Releigh the capital of this state & at Kingston & Goldboro there are some too. But that is far enough away from here to leave us alone. Sometimes we hear that we will be attacked by them & the next thing we hear is that they are not about within fifty miles. So that I do not know where they are.
Neither do I Care. I am Sure. & if they are in the Gulf of Mexico I am Satified. This is an age of Humbugs. The Rebel Army is a Humbug & so are our Generals a great many of them at least if they would get 13 Dollars a month as we do the war would soon be over & would have been long ago & The Great Humbug of Humbugs was General George B. McCellan. I would not be in his place for half the United States is worth. He is a Coward & has been & is yet. He could have taken Richmond at three different times but he was too much an old woman to do it & often Sacrificing one of the Finest Armys to disease & Battle Returned to Washington after spending 4 months to accomplish the same that Hooker did in four days. But I suppose it is all for the best. The time will come when God will deliver us out of this Great & Fiery Ordeal. & I hope we may profit by it & that we may be Purified from many Evils that more are so Prevalent & that the morn may again be Blessed with Peace & Prosperity & that many may be found Honest & Just.
Now Dear Lydia I hardly know what to write to you unless I write what I have wrote to you so often before that I would like to see you & the little children & Not just to see you neither. But I would like to Squeze you & Kiss you. & I would like to speak with you once again. We have Forty Days to stay yet & if all goes right we will not need to stay here that long. The time is getting short now & oh but I wish I was at home the Forty days would pass around much Swifter there than they do here. I do assure you If I could sleep with you every night I think the time would pass around more Swiftly. We have lots to eat here but we do not eat much more than half as much as we did still before we came here. But then we have not such Hard Marching to do. We had a big time here a few days ago. Some half dozen of fellows that Ruled the Company. Since we are in the Service took a notion to get hats & the whole Company would have to get them too. But we worked them on that game. They must not think that they can do just as they please for all they did so sometimes. Now there are two of our Company that have the Hats & the rest will not get them & we make all the Fun of them & they get as mad as Blazes. The Madder they get the more they catch it. I am not going to spend two Dollars for a hat for two Dollars is worth more than a dozen hats for my Family.
I cannot afford to spend my money foolishly & I make it a little too Hard for that too. & if they want Hats let them get them I have no objection. George is well & so is Alfred Reed & the most of our men are in good Health. Some few have the Nigger Fever. for they are all the time Raving about them at least. I must now close my letter to you hoping this may find you well & hearty. & may God Bless you & keep you in good health is my Prayer & I hope to see you before many days & then I will make up for lost time & I can tell you about a good many things that I never wrote about to you. And I would like very much to kiss you a little once again just about One Thousand Times or more.
Tell Charlie I will come home Before Long. If he will be a good Boy. Good Bye.
A kiss to you & I remain your Affectionate Husband
Jacob Bushey
To My beloved Wife & Bosom Friend
And May God Bless You & Keep You
And Bless Your & My Children & Save our
Lives that we may Return
Home safe to each other. Is My Prayer
A Kiss To You