Letter #3

Bridgeport Alabama
April 12th 1864

Dear brother

            I have just rece’d yours of the 27 I read it with much pleasure.  Glad to hear that you are all well and enjoying yourselves.  This is a rainy day & I think I will answer it,  though the rain dont make much difference with me generally, but this morning I was calculating to wash my clothes if it hadent rained.  Sometimes when I feel like it I wash for some of the rest, for 5 cts a piece  last week I washed for Hewit of Hadly & he made me a ring which I will send to sone of the girls, & I have two that I made which I will send.  I could make some pretty ones if I could get the shells, when the river goes down some I think I shall be able to get some.  We dont use the river water in our company—can get spring water by going about ½ mile after it.  So we prefer to go after it that far rather than use the river water but we dont carry it, some of the boys drove a poor worn out mule into camp some time ago we tied him up & took care of him used him to draw water with.  He is getting in quite good order.  We found the fore wheels of an ambulance wagon & one of our Sargents put som thills on it & a good place for a barrel & now it is fun to go after water.

            Aunt Lucy wanted me to enquire about Mr Porter.  Well I had thought about him but thought he settled in the northern part of ???? so I have never inquired about him.  This morning after I read your letter some citizens came in to buy some bacon & I inquired if he knew where such a man lived—he said he did and could show me his house.  I had seen it often before but did not know or even think of its being his house.  It is a crost the river on the top of a hill about as far as we can see.  He said a man by the name a Cassle lived there with him & I believe a man by that name came with him.  Soon after I came here I heard some one telling that some Mich men lived up there on the hill—said they had a pleasant place there—that the ground was level & nice the other side of the mountain.  Our band was invited out to tea to some of the citizens houses some time ago & I heard to day that was where they went.  I don’t know wheather I can get a pass to go & see them or not but think I will try it some time.  I think there isent any trouble writing to them now, but dont know wheather they would get their mail at this office or not but should think this would be the office.

            Yesterday all the soldiers here—except the E&M Regt of mounted Infantry—were out on a general review.  I dont know how many there was, but guess about 4 or 5 thousand.  They came out in front of our camp so we had a good chance to see them.  There was one batery w/ 6 guns, they fired several rounds—I guess to practice their horses some of them acted as though they kneeded it.  Had good horses.

            Well B I am as well as usual if not a little better.  Watson is quite smart again.  Levi Smith is gaining finely.  A good many soldiers passing here going to the front expect there will be some hard fighting before long & I think if the spring campaign prove successful things will look lighter & I hope we all can come home to vote for father Abe or some other good man.  Write often as you can & remember me to all the friends.

            Your Brother, J K Hough

Evning—Watson & I have been makeing pies all the afternoon on shares ½ have made 10 apples pies & it is quite a job as we can bake only one at a time 
think we made good pies for the first attempt. 
The pies are worth 20 cts.