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New Haven Conn Dec 16 1864
Dear Eliza I received your letter of Dec 11th yesterday and was glad to get a letter from home and very sorry to hear that Ma was sick I hope she will get better soon as I intend to come home and see her before long You can tell her that [illegible] we have much more guard duty to do as I intend to go back into the Band again Also [illegible] [illegible] [illegible]
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why John dont go to [illegible] [illegible] or of the [illegible] doing at all Spend $5 to get Clara a presant and I hope she will play me a tune on the Piano when I get home to pay for it [illegible] once she need not Kepp Clara away from her music for fear not having money enough to pay for her [illegible] I shall send enough to pay for her and as much as I [illegible] am going to get some [illegible] [illegible] when I get in to Band [illegible] and will [illegible] send some home and when I get home I will get one with [illegible] As for my going off you needn't be at all alarmed as I only did it
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to scare you a little. I received the [illegible] and was glad to get it I will return it . I found out we were [illegible] [illegible] was and went to see [illegible] who would I meet there I went in the door of [illegible] who should I meet but the veritable Shelton? himself who very pleased to see me and for an introduction to his [illegible] Fine one of the merchants about then in regard to the [illegible] Family and they said he wasnt very wealthy and what little he had got was cheating they said he was the greatest cheat in [illegible] If ever and that is saying a good deal so much for