Midde
Camp Finegan May 8th 1864
Miss Martha Bardin
My Dear Mattie, I embrace the earliest opportunity of writeing you a few lines, which I hope will be duly received by you. We arrived here this morning where we pitched our tents on a sand hill where the sun is beaming down on ourselvs and horses with all its scorching power. If I was at Old Middleburg this evening the sun would not shine so hot, nor the time half so long. It appears to me that it has been a month since I left there. This is the lonlyest Sunday evening with me I ever saw. I see a great many men here. I see them jokeing and laughing as though they were hapy, but I am not hapy. I am sitting here alone thinking how hapy I might be if I was with my dear Mattie. Yes, if I was with you this evening I would be hapy. I did not know what it was to love, or how much I loved you untill now. I will quit writeing in this tone for I fear I am getting two sentimental, and you will think I am crazy. I have just been thinking how you would laugh if you could see me siting here this lovly Sunday evening on the ground at the root of a tall pine, looking sad and lonly. You would laugh, I know, and ask "What's the matter - are you mad?" I'de say no - I'me only thinking. Yes I'me only thinking, and I
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think it is time for me to begin to wind up and I know you will think so when you see it.
I have no news to write you that would be interesting or amuseing, only our boys had a little fight with the yanks last fryday. We had two men wounded only, killed 2 yanks, taken 7 prisoners.
Nothing more at this time. Write soon and write me a long letter and write often.
I am your most affectionate
Lover & Wellwisher
A.S. Chalker
Address
A.S. Chalker
Co. K2 Fla Cav Camp Finegan
Fla
To the care of
Capt J.H. Jones
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