[Transcribed on 3/1/2022]
Camp Suffolk March the 18th 1863 I read your letter tonight and was glad to hear that you wer all well I am well and hope that this will finde you the same I was a fraid that litle Esther was wors off than you thaught she was I was afraid that you would loose her so you may judge how glad I was to hear that you was all well again I expect or I kno you have hard times to get along with the famely and every thing to buy and every thing so high and nothing to buy with if I could doe any thing to help you I should be glad to do so but I shall have to wate for uncle Sam to pay me and he is a slough pay master you must keep up good courage for if I do not get my pay untill next month there will be
one months pay more for us. our offisers are looking for the pay master every day
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but it is hard telling when they will come to pay us you did not tell me whether you expected to have New milks cows or not if you can winter the two cows and if they doe well they will make half of your living if the cows live and does well and I live and draw my pay you can live as well as any of them it is a prety dark time now but the darkest Hour is just before Day keep up good grit and look for better times it is bead time and I was out on Picket last night and
am sleepy so I shall have to close good night for this time write soon as you get this
Daniel Hall
to Catharine H Hall
