June 19, 1864

Brasheur City June 19^th 1864

Sunday morning

My Dear Parents,

I feel as though I ought to write to you this morning but it is so hot I can hardly sit up. It is anything but pleasant here at this time of year. it is hot all day and the flies, fleas, spiders, crickets, slugs, beetles, giggers, lice and all kinds of vermin bother so one has no peace or quiet and at night the frogs, owls, aligators (sic), musquitoes, and all creeping things keep up such an ever lasting hissing and noise it is almost impossible to sleep. The musquitoes present their bills for liquidation, the fleas play backgammon on my anatomy all night . and I wake up in the morning more tired than when I laid down. I wont complain for I knew what soldiering was before I reenlisted. I only wish I could be with Sherman or Grant so I could do some thing. We are doing nothing here only garrison duty and that is a perfect bore. We have to have two suits of clothes and have to black our shoes and wear white gloves when on parade or duty. I dont like such soldiering. It dont suit me at all. I would much rather be where there were some excitement once in a while. I enjoyed my self first rate last summer though I was in more danger of battle, but here I am in more danger of sickness. the small pox is in the regt. Several of the boys have it. I have been vaccinated again though I was not much afraid of it. It did not work and I am certain there is no use trying any more. I try to be careful and not get sick for I have had my share since I came into the service. I have my clothes washed every week and I bath three times a week and we have drill enough for exercise. I have just come from inspection and am as hot as friz (?), but I will finish this before the heat of the day. Some of our boys captured two rebel captains and six privates the other day and they are the same ones who killed a man here who was working a government plantation, in cold blood by splitting his head open with an ax. You can guess what will will (sic) be done with them when you know who the General is. It is Gen McNeil who had some ten or a dozzen (sic) guerillas hung in Palmyra (?) Mo over a year ago for killing a union man, I saw a list of the killed and wounded at the Battle of Resaca and Wm's name was among them, so I have given up all hopes if I had any. Poor fellow how I wish I could have had an answer to one of the two letters I have written him since I came back. I have looked for one ever since I heard he was dead. for I will not know but he might have written to me before he was killed. Did you have his death published or have a funeral or anything of the kind? I suppose not as there is no minister in Atkinson. I cant help mourning for him though I try to feel that he is better off than he would be in this wol world of trouble an war. I am glad he died in the field with his war harness on and his face to the enemy, but it is hard to part with him even so. Well I must draw this to a close. Love to the girls and Mell. As ever your aff son,

John M. Follett