p.

Assistant Qr. Mr's. Office, 2d. Brigade, Smith's Div.,
Camp near Hagerstown, Md., Sept. 29th 1862.

My dear Mother:

Once more I am in the mode for
writing home. It is more than a week since we
have had any mail in Camp so I do not know whether I
am indebted to thee or not. I have got one letter from Ann
since I came into Camp. She was well then & was just at
work, once more, at her books. I do not think Timothy has
more reason to complain of my not writing, than I do
of his, as I have written him twice since I heard from
him & do not know what to think of him. As thee will see
I am still in the Office of the Q.M. much to my own
surprise. I went to the Co. intending & hoping to stay
there, and did so part of two days when an Order from
General Brooks came for me to report here for extra duty.
I did not suppose, in the first place, that the Captain
would want me & secondly, as he has two Clerks already
I did not think the Genl. would approve of another. I did
not wish to come but the Capt. Q.M. begged so hard and said
he could get no one else who knew how to do it that Capt.
Carpenter said I might come for a short time until his
sons got the run of the business.