Baton Rouge, La. June 7th 1864

Dear Sister,

I have Just received your Most Welcome Letter of Date 23 of May. It found me well. And I hope this will find you & All the rest well. we are having A wet time of it Now. this is the fourth Day We have had rain. the Colonel is with Us Again. Nine of the paroled prisoners Joined us yesterday. they was Exchanged for those we took At pleasant hill. Your Letter was the first one I have received from home since the 26th of April At Alexandria, Except one father wrote in January. I had Not heard of Any of the Deaths and Marriages you Speak of. You gave me the first information of having Another Niece. the Marriages is All Right, but the Death of Thomas Whitter Must be A great Disappointed to his friends. I Cant Sympathize with All Much if its All true that we heard of him When I was At home. Nathan Elis is Just Come back from Wisconsin. he was wounded at Mansfide. they would Neither Lengthen his furlough Nor admit him in the Hopital, but sent him back. he Never will be fit for Duty Again. has had three pieces of bone taken out of his Arm. thats Another bright Specimen of Uncle Sam's Usage to his defenders. the 11th boys is packing up to go to the 11th veterans. I suppose you will have great times Lasting for A hundred Days. we have Good News from Grant. I hope the potomac Army will accomplish what Its been trying to Do for three or four years. I Expect Cousin tom And Wm Abbott is home by this. I dont know Whether we Shall have A chance to Reenlist or Not. I guess I wont Enlist till I have had five or six Months furlough.

I have Sent A little Money home. If you get it you Can tell father to Let you have Enough to get your Likeness taken And send it me. And Buy A Dollars worth of Stamps And send Me two or three At A time. if I knew We should Get paid off soon, I Could Send you Some myself. but I mean to keep Enough to be prepared for A hard time. If you And Hank Can get yours taken together I would like it. but Let it Depend on Circumstances. I haven't much News as we are taking it Easy. the prospect is we Shall stay Somewhere on the river this summer. Dont wait for Others to write, but write As soon As you Can fill A half sheet. Give My respectsto all Enquiring friends. Keep in good Spirits. Dont get Married before the war is over. But please yourself About it.

From your Affectionate Brother Joseph Slagg