Dear Mary,-

You may look for a letter from me twice a week as long as I am here and able to write. I have been trying my strength a little and walked into the street. I went about a quarter of a mile and back and found myself thoroughly tired. As some of the men here were going back to their commands I wanted to know if I could do duty in Camp. I am under Dr. Kennedy's care now and he asked me if I would like to return to my Company. I told him if I could stand the hardships of Camp life I would go, but if not I did not want to go until I could, and that I did not think I could. He said I was not strong enough to return. I have received a letter from Captain Crary in which he says he wishes I could be with him. He has so much to attend to and his lieutenants cannot help in the Company business, that when I feel satisfied that I am strong enough to go to him, I will do so. He had just finished his muster rolls,- had done it alone. Had I been there that would have been my work. There have been 150 men returned to their regiments from the convalescent ward and we are now in that ward and go into a dining hall for our meals. Our food has been changed and I am not doing as well as I was in the sick ward. I wish you would write to your people and say that Alex H. is better. I wrote quite an alarming letter to them about him. If nothing else sets in I think he will soon recover. Dr. Kennedy feels hurt about the article in the "Press" of December 30th but he says it does not mean him if the people at home knew it and the writer ought to say who he meant and not let the innocent suffer. He had not taken care of any of the sick in the Regiment but was on detached service all of the time. I have seen Mr. S. E. Spoor and Mr. Lewis Chamberlain; they have just arrived. Mr. Spoor gave me the package from you. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated by,