Fort Richardson, Virginia
December 19, 1861
My Dear Wife,
I received your kind [letter] of the 17th tonight and was very glad to hear from you. I am glad that you are a getting well, my pet, and glad to [hear] that you don’t think it right for you to start out this way and I would not have asked you to come here if I had of been well, If you have of come, you could not cross the [Potomac] River for they won’t allow anyone to cross there for I think that I acted very foolish when I wrote for you to come here.
I wrote you that I had sent for my discharge and you want to know why I have not got it but I can’t tell you why for it may be two months before I get it and then I might not get it. You say that you have got them things ready but I hope that you have not sent them for if I get my discharge, I shall have to send them back. You thank me for being so kind to you, pet, but I have not been kind at all for I have been too sick to be kind. Oh! how I wish that I was well so that I could do as I ought to by you. But it is God’s will that I should be as I am for if it were not, I should be otherwise. You say that Ed Sisson has not sent Judith any money since he went away. I am sorry for that. Let me know how long he has been gone.
Give my love to Mother, pet, and tell her to write to me. Give my love to the girls too for I would like to see them. I hope that you can read this for I can’t. Good night pet, my pet, from your husband, — Chet
to Mat. My love to you, pet.
Spared & Shared 20 