Camp near Middleburgh, Kentucky
May 9th 1863

My dear Father,

Your letter of the 30th has just come to hand and I was glad to hear from you. Had begun to fear that you were sick as I had not received a letter since mother’s. But judging from this letter, I should say that there is one or two delayed somewhere. This is the way soldiers are trifled with.

I am sorry mother feels bad about my not coming home. I ought not to have told you what I had been anticipating and then you would not have felt disappointed. I did not act wisely at all for I might have known that it would be of some disappointment to you. However, we must let it pass.

I am glad that I did not carry out my plans for had I succeeded, your State Aid would have stopped and my bounty would have been lost to me and I might not have been able to get work for some time which would have made your case worse for you and the old howl would again be raised about me. Some of those busy people would have a great deal to say about cowardice. Now I don’t intend to give them a chance. I calculate to mind my “P’s and Q’s” when I get home and then if they don’t attend to their own affairs more and mine less than what they used to, I will just give them a spat across the mouth in such a manner than they cannot use their meddlesome tongues for awhile. I had a number of them marked before I left home and that is the way I feel toward them. I shall not forget them. They did their best to get me out of town and even then reported that I had the “delirium tremens.” They will never drive me or worry me again.

I did not intend you to take an atom of what I said in my letter of the 21st to yourself. Nothing was further from my mind than accusing you or hinting that you ever called me so. I referred to a class of backbiters that abound in Clinton that to appearance are most devout Christians, but in reality are hypocrites. If they were Christians, they should have not driven a sinner into deeper crime (they did what amounted to the same thing), but should have used their utmost efforts in putting him on the right track. But I don’t like to talk about it for it makes me mad. No, I did not mean you and even if you did say so, it is nothing. I lay nothing up against either you or mother. No doubt you had reasons for doing it but you never shall have again if I am drove mad by these damned serpents (that’s what they are).

If Hooker is successful, I shall be at home before many months for it will be the death blow to the infernal rebellion. I hope he will succeed but I have my fears. Today’s paper, however, gives pretty encouraging news.

Corporal Lesure belong to Co. G. I have been acquainted with him for some time but he did not know that you was my father. When I asked him if he knew old Bently, he had a good laugh. He says, “Bluvell” is all right and so is “Bliza.” “Is Bluvell come in yet? No. When he is coming in?”  He wants you to write to him and I think you had better for he is a good fellow. His address is Corp. Lovell Lesure, Co. G, 36th Reg. Mass. V.

But I must stop for dinner (?) is ready. Write often. Much love to all. Yours truly, — Charley

Next letter: 12 May 1863