William Elisha Stoker to Elizabeth E. Stoker, November 4-5, 1862

Camp Nelson Arkansas Nov the 1st 4th 1862

Dear Wife

I embrace the presant opportunity of writeting you a few lines to let you know how I am. I am well at this time and I hope thees few lines will find you and familey well. Ive nothing new to write you that would interest you onley we are hear at our same old camp. The name of it is chaiged but we are at our same camp. We are all getting verry much dissatisfide. Up hear there is so much sickness and so many dyeing. They just dye all the time. The Doctors is out of medisens and if they had a waggon load it wouldent do any good for they are so lazy they want get up when they are setting down to give a sick man a dose of medisen. The sick isent propperely careed for is the reason so many of them dyes. Frank Tompson is ded. He had the flux and the doctors giv him so much morphean the boys says they killen him. I dont know how long we will stay hear. Waterhousees [Waterhouse] regament has got hear. I have seen all of the boys. Thomas and Sid come to see me the first sunday after they got hear. You cant imagine how glad I was to see them. I shuck there hands good. I was so proud to see them. I almost forgot where I was. They are campped about too miles from us. I went to see them sunday and spent the day with them. They are all well like I am. They are home sick. John Claten has got hear. He brung the boys there clothing and he brung lots of letters but nary one for me. I havent got a letter from you since I was at Desark [Des Arc]. The one I got was dated the 24th of september. I hav ben looking for a letter from you about too weeks but I havent got narry one yet. I want to hear from you powerful bad. It has ben over a month since I have heard direct from you. Write when you get this. What is the matter? I am uneasey. I dont know what to think. All of the boys gets letters regular. Sid and Thomas has got some late letters from home. You may halve some on the way which I hope you hav and I will get one soon. My overcoat hasent got hear yet. The man that was sent back after clothing hasent got back yet. When he comes I will get it. Betty when we was up at desark on white river I found out that there was some Cotton Cards there at $10. per pare but I dident have money enough to bye a pare. Bill Montgommery has gone back up there and I have sent after a pare. I borrowed the money and sent after them. I hav got a good chance to send them home by Mr. Claton. Montgommery hasent got back yet. I dont know wether he will get them or not. If he gets them I will say something about it before I close. I thought I would write you every week but sircumstances is such some times I cant write when I want too. I started this letter on the first of this month but I had to stop to go after a load of corn and then I had to hall wood. Enoch Gaskins was was taken sick and I was detailed to drive his waggon and they keep me buisy some times too or thre days at a time. This is the first time I hav had a chance to finish my letter in three days except sunday and I wantted to go to see Sid and Tom. I am writeting to night by by candle light. I beleave I hav wrote all that I can think of and Ile close by saying I remain your effectionate husband untill death. Give my best respects to all inquireing friends and receive all that heart could imagine for your self. Kiss priscilla for me and tell her par wants to see her. I dont know what I would give to be with you and her to night. I dremp of being with you last night. I would give any thing in this world if my dream would come to pass but I cant take time to write it to night. Tongue cant express nor I cant write how bad I want to see you. Nothing more so Good Bye untill I see you again.

William Stoker To Elizabeth E. Stoker

N. B. [Nota Bene] when you write send me a blank sheet of paper or a leaf. You can get plenty in that long blank book. Send one leaf ever time you write. Our companey has chainged its letter from I. to H. Our companey is the letter H. You can direct your letters to Co. H. to Capt Duncans CO. Bill Montgommerry has got back from Desark. He dident get any cards. He said that there isent any there. Mr. Claten is going to start some this morning. Ile send my letter by him. I wrote to you in my last letter I was out of stamps. I got a chance to send to Little Rock the other day and I got some. Nothing more. I am well this morning the fifth of Nov 1862.