Chapman, 4 October 1861

Fort Richardson. Virginia
October 4, 1861

My Dear Wife,

I now take my pen to write these few lines and I hope they will find you well for the doctor says that he means to cure me. I have got one letter on the stand ready to send to you in the morning and one most ready to send to my brother Gilbert. The Colonel [Robert O. Tyler] and the Major [Henry W. Birge] came here to see me last night and they told the doctor that if I wanted my discharge, to give it to me, and so I went to the doctor to get it but he would not give it to me and told me that I was too good a man for him to lose. But I had quite a laugh about it for I told the boys that I was a going to ask him for a discharge, but instead of giving me a discharge, he gave me a prescription for some medicine. He gives me quinine and Dover’s Powders for a sore leg. I don’t know but he gives them for the liver complaint but I don’t believe it. He doctors me just the same as Doctor Boles did you last spring when you had the lung fever. I think I will stop writing soon for I am getting tired, but I must let you know that I got my State Pay this afternoon and shall send it to you as soon as I can. It is ten dollars. I don’t know when we shall get our government pay but it is due now. It will be twenty-six dollars. And when I get it, I will send twenty of it to you. I shall send all if I don’t stand in great need of it.

The most of my trouble is getting postage stamps. I have paid as high as ten cents for them and now I have got to hunt all over the camp for one to send this with, so I shall have to make two writing of this. I wish that I was with you but if God wills it otherwise, may His will be done. Give God the praise for all things for He is good. Give my love to Mother and the girls and all the rest of the folks and tell them I would like to see them. I don’t think there is any chance of my getting home this month but there may be next. I hope there will, don’t you pet?

But I think that I will stop now for I want to rest to write more this time. You have told me before now that you would like to have me write one letter just like me so here it is for this is just my thoughts tonight. It is my bedtime now so goodnight, my dear little pet wife, and may God bless you and make you well for the sake of your affectionate husband who loves you with his whole soul and heart, — Chester Chapman

P. S. write as often as you can to Chet for he loves you and wants to hear from you all the time.