Battery Anderson, Virginia
April 3rd 1865
Dear Mat,
I wrote you a letter last night but as the Johnny’s has left our front, I will try to write and let you know that I am all right. I will send you some papers that we got from them this morning and I hope that you will keep them for me. I will stop now for I may have more time to write this afternoon.
April 17th 1865
Dear wife—your kind letter of the thirteenth came to hand tonight. You say that you are getting better but I don’t believe it if you do say so, But do not worry about seeing and speaking if it gives you no pain for you will still be the same little pet to me, if you could neither see, speak, or work. You must try to get well soon and be happy for I shall be with you in a short time—perhaps not over three months at the longest. I don’t want my pet to worry about me in the least for I don’t think that I shall be near enough to a rebel for him to shoot me while the war lasts.
Give my respects to Wanton and Mary and if it is so that you are not able to write, tell Mary that I say she must do it for you. It is near roll call that I can’t write more now so I will close this for the morning’s mail. Don’t let me worry you about sending that box for I don’t have any guard duty to do and I don’t need that watch as much as I did. Write as soon as you can, my pet.
Your loving husband, — Chester A. Chapman
To my Mattie