Springfield, Mo. Sept. 28-1862

My Dear Friend:

I have been writing to Uncle Steve that is I wrote yesterday but have not mailed my letter and this morning I thought I would enclose a few lines to you. I wrote you only two days ago, It rains a little this morning, the first rain we have had since we left Davenport.

The weather is warm. We do not have so cold nights here as we did in St Louis, I cannot write much this morning for I have got to get my breakfast and go on guard et eight oclock, I expect now that we shall go to Wilsons Creek within a day or two, That is only ten or twelve miles from here. I must leave off this writing for they are calling for breakfast, George does not cook now. I will write again soon, Tell Abby and Monroe to write. Tell James 0 to write. Patterson has not got here yet.

Yours truly A.P. Mitchell

Camp near Springfield, Sept. 26 1862.

My Dear Friend:

I again seat myself to write a few lines. I write very often for I know that you are always anxious to hear from me and it is a pleasure to me to gratify your wishes when I can do it in this simple way. This is the best way that I can content myself. I cannot see you but I can converse with you in this dumb way which is the only alternative. I cannot sit down and play cards or amuse myself in any other way as a great many do to pass away time. I cannot nor do I want to use my leisure time in any such a way. My mind is continually wandering back to you.

11 oclock and I have Just come in from drill. We shall not go out again until this afternoon and I will put in a part of my time in writing the balance, in cleaning my gun and other accoutrements.

I expect you are now in Iowa City. I do really hope you will have a good visit. I wish I could be with you but I cannot. I can only imagine that you are there are there with your friends and I hope enjoying your self. I hope you will not get tipped out of the wagon again. You was very fortunate in not getting hurt, neither of you. Sarah you must be careful when you are riding with Monroe, you know he is not much used to driving a team. Abbey told me about your disaster and I had a dream last night concerning it. I dream of you and the baby frequently but they have all been pleasant dreams. The little one is always laughing as she used to he.

I was sorry to hear that Abbey had had another fuss with that old tyrant but I am glad that she is at home with you. She will be a great deal of company for you. I don't know but that she will be offended with the letter I have written, if I thot she would I would not send it. I was very much pleased with her letter and I write to her as I would to my own sister. I hope she will write to me often and I will answer every letter that is written to me to my best ability. I believe I have written to J, Outing but have not heard from him.

I would direct this letter to Iowa City but I am afraid you would not get it.

We are having very pleasant weather here. There has not been any rain since we left Davenport. I have heard that you have had a great deal of rain. If so I guess that the hogs are in a pretty condition.

Chas Sawyer is sick with the measles, he was taken yesterday. Those that have had them are getting along well. Rem Hutchins has not got up with us yet, he will probably be along in a few days. Patterson has not got here yet, we are looking for him every day now.

You must write about all of the folks that have friends here for they always inquire after them every time any one gets a letter. I will write about every one that is sick that belongs anywhere in that vicinity. I have Just heard that Lige Blakeley has left Dr. Snot Grabs ?. Did Jim Cut that wood that he agreed to. You must get the corn gathered if possible. I must now leave for dinner.

A. P. Mitchell

5 oclock afternoon 26 Sept.

I have this afternoon been out chopping wood to do our cooking with. It seemed considerably like hooking timber up in the Poplar thickets only we did not work with quite so much energy. Soldering makes us lazy, we only do what we are obliged to.

I wish could give you a description of this camp and the way it is conducted but I have not the ability to do it with a pen. I would like to have Steve here. He would not lay in bed after daybreak nor would the old man be allowed to do his work for him. Every man has to do his own duty and there is no use in whining about it.

I would not give forty acres of land in Linn County for all the land that I have seen in Missouri until we got within a few miles of this place. This is quite a pretty place but the land is nothing compared with Iowa. All the land between this and St. Louis is poorer than that of Maine or N.H. but I expect we have traveld over the poorest part of it. If Mo. is all there is to contend for I should be in favor of letting the Rebbels have it.

The men do not have any chance here to get with the women here as they have in other places. Women is not allowed inside the guards not the men are not allowed to pass out. You spoke of Luckabow as a man of ill character but you are mistaken. He is as steady a man as there is in the Regiment and has been ever since he has been in the Regiment. He does not drink nor anything of the kind.

Well I have just been to supper and I have forgot what I was last writing about but I have not forgot what I had for supper it was fried beef, flour pudding and molasses, crackers and coffee. We have beans and rice and sugar a part of the time bacon light bread etc. but 1 would like a junk of corndodger occasionally but we do not get that. It is getting dark and I must close for tonight and write a few lines in the morning.

So Good night Sarah.

Saturday moaning Sept. 27

Nothing has transpired since 1st night worthy of note and in fact Sarah we do not get much news as to the war. You know as much or more about it than we. You hear the news every week and perhaps every day and you get it more correct than we do. We do not get paper very often only one occasionally. You spoke of taking a paper, you had better do it. I think the Chicago Journal or Chicago Tribune the best you can take, Either of them are good papers.

I think there is a prospect of our staying here a number of weeks and I do not believe we are agoing to have any fighting to do at present. We have a large force here. I cannot tell you exactly the number, probably not less than thirty thousand and there is as many or more on the way here. The Rebbels are not agoing to make an attack on so large a force as this will be.

Yours with all my affection.

Direct to St Louis . MO. Co. H. 20th Regt. Iowa Volunteers.

A. F. Mitchell

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