Fort Vance, Texas Feb. 6, 1864 Dear friends I received a letter from you last evening of Jan 10″ also one from George of Jan 3″ I had began to think George was not going to answer my letter. I wrote to him when at Vicksburg. it seems he is doing pretty well in his line of business. I suppose you are having some pretty cold weather in Ohio this winter. I think I have reason to be very thankfull that I am not soldiering in the part of the wourld this winter. I often think of our Army in Virginian & Tennissee how they must suffer. I get along very well to what I did last winter. we had a few days about the first of Jan that were pretty cold but the most of the time has been very good weather it is said to be a very healthy country.. we get the breese from the Gulf which is very pure.. it is a great country for Oyster & Fish. there are oysterbeds along the beech of the Bay. we can get them by diging them out of the sand. Our Quarter Master got a Sein the other day and most all of the Reg went a seining..we caught about 5.50 lbs. of fish.. so you see we have something besides hard tack & sowbelly after all. our bake oven had come so we have light breads now. this is agreat place for Shells. along the Beech you can find Shells of every discription. you remember the kind that Osgood brought home when he went in the Mexican war. I can get any amount of them here.. I thought if I had a caunce I would express some home if your like to have them.. it will cost about one dollare to send a box full the size of a cigar box.. it is quite blustery tonight and there is not meeting. we have had meeting most every night since we have been in this camp. the hole Regt seems interested in it it is getting late and I will stop for tonight.
Sunday Morning.. we have had Co. inspection this morning there is no drill or fatique duty to do today. the weather is not as pleasant this morning as it has been for several days although it is not very unpleasent.. I expect there will be preachng at 11 o’clock by our Chaplain or Capt. Coulter. we have got a very good man for a Chaplain. Smart man. but Capt. Coulter is one of the best men that ever preached to my notion.. we are getting along with our fort prety well it would be of great use to us now if we were atacked.. there was one Capt and on Lieutenant & one Private deserted the Rebs and came through our lines the other night and gave themselves up. there are seven in all that have come in since we have been here. I stoped writing again went to meeting. our chaplain preached (our chaplain’s name is Scott from Cardington) his text was the 11 & 12″ verce of the 32nd Chap of Deuteronomy.. we had as good a meeting I suppose as we could had we been in the best churchs in Ohio. I would like to beat home and enjoy some of your Sleighrides this winter.. I suppose the Veterans of the 43rd Regs are having gay times on their furloughs. I would like the fourlough but I cant see the Veteran Capt. Eastman has not got back to the Regt yet but if I receive the things you sent by him I shall be very thankful for them especialy the Potographs.. the stocking yarn I do not particulary need as I have some yet that you gave me at camp Delaware.. the boys in the Co are pretty well there is only one in the Co that reports to the Doctor it is George Case of Galena.. one of the Boys of Co K. has just came in to camp with one of the biggest Rattlesnakes I ever saw. he killed it not far from Camp. it had 13″ Rattles. I beleave I will stop writing for this time. I would like to be at home today and take dinner with you but I am far from it. but I think I will be at home in the cource of another year if I live. if I should not live to meet you at my earthly home my prair is that I may meet you in our heavenly home. Yours truly.. Lu Carhart..
(Upside down at top of first page) Direct to Texas instead of Army of the Miss.