E. Horton: August 19, 1864
Harewood Hospital, Ward 4 Washington, DC August 19, 1864
Dearest Ellen it is with pleasure I now seat myself to inform you that I am well and hope this will find you the same I have written you one letter since I received any from you I hope this will find you enjoying yourself firstrate I have been feeling real lone some but I begin to get over it some now....what a pitty it was nell that I couldent had luck enough to have got hold of one of those big bounties so you and me could have flourished a little when I think of it nell it almost makes me think that I will not do much more good down here....I know you said that you was a union woman when I was at home and I want to please you so I play union but really I am getting a good deal sesesh feeling about me I think if it wasent for you I should go over to them they use a private soldier with more respect than they do in our army when they get so they use the best blod of the north worse than they do the mules and keep them on worse fodder a fellow ought to get a thousand to come out here and stay three years but when a fellow has to come out for nothing while others that never has been out get the spoil it looks to me rather tough but enough of this....please write soon and tell me all the news you must be shure and take up my note that Mrs Porter holds when it becomes due I suppose you will have to get the mony of some one else for a while now Nell I must tell you I have been writing to another gal in Masschusetts to day I had a work bag full of little trinkets give to me by the sanitary and it had a letter in it which contained the address of a lady and a requist to write so I rote her a line to day but I dident put any love in it now nell give my regards to all of the folks
yours with much love Edwin Horton
