The Civil War Letters Suffolk, Virginia March 22, 1863

Suffolk Va March 22d 1863

My Dear Wife

i write to inform you that i am well and injoying good health and i hope this will find you and Lizzie injoying the same Blessing.  Dear Maggie  being that it is Sunday to day i thought i would write a few lines to you knowing that a letter from me is always welcome to you. we have had a very stormy week of it. it snowed and Hailed for three days and yuesterday it Rained all day  but today the sun is out and the snow is nearly all gone  and i hope we will have no more of it this season

Dear Wife  i have no news to send you  we are getting along as good as usal  i would like very much to come to see you but i am thinking if i should come home for a few days that the pain of Parting again would be dreadful.  for it would be hard indeed for me to come home and have to leave you again. though it is hard enough to stay here  but i think being that i am away i had better stay away until i can come home to stay and then we wont have the Pain of parting again  for Dear Maggie  it is hard to part with them we Love  i will try and tug it out to the last and then when i do come home i will be a free man  for a Soilder is not much better then a Slave.

My Dear Wife  i am ancous for this next year to pass away and then i soon shall have the Happyness to meet my wife and child  though of all the things i have to think of My Dear Wife and child are never out of my mind  and i often think how cruel and wrong it was in me in enlisting and leaving you so soon  but Maggie i never thought that i would be away so long  i did not expect to be away more than six months  but i was deceived as was a great many others have been  but we may have a happy time yet when this war is over  at least i hope

Dear Wife  i have to close now  Give my Love to your Mother  Jane and all the family and all inquiring Friends

My most Sincere Love to you my Dear Wife

i remain as ever
Your Affectionate Husband
William Lancaster

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