Fort Richardson, Virginia
October 30th 1861

My Dear Wife,

I take my pen to write these few lines and hope they will find you well. I received your letter and was glad to hear that you have got so that you can get to New London for now I think you will get well. You must excuse this for I have been agoing all over the house to find a place to write this and am too mad to write. We are getting our clothes today and we shall get our State pay in a day or two for we have signed the pay rolls today. Our pants and blouse and our coats are just like my undercoat and they are trimmed with light blue.

Tell Jude that I thanks her for sending her love to me but as all of mine is yours, I can’t return it. But tell her I would like to see her for then I could see you. It is getting late but I will try to write a little more.

You say that you have spent fifty cents foolishly. I am glad of it and I hope that you will spend fifty more. That little heart that you sent me got broke. I will send you one dollar in this so that you can have a gold piece and I will send five more as soon as I get a little box so that I can send something else with it.

Excuse this for I am in a great hurry. My love to you, my pet. Good night for this time (little wife).

From your husband, — Chester A. Chapman