Camp Moore, La.

Oct 20th, 1861

Sally [sister] your letter of the 17th inst. is just at hand and happily received. I have been looking for a letter from home for several days. I have not rec a letter from home in ten days untill yesterday I rec one from John Odom. I am in as good health as I ever was. I am twelve lbs. hevier than I was when I left home, and still fatening every day but I am sorry to say that our company is not enjoying good health. The measles is raging here rapidly. We have about twelve cases in our company, but they are all able to be up if the weather was not so bad. It has rained here two days in succession. Here is a list of the sick, viz James Beaird, Joe Clayton, Charly, Rabun, John Boatright, Same Love, Nic Thornton, Wm. Pearce, Eli Tubb, Wm Futch, Ben McCullar, Joe McDonald, Ben Day, Jno Picket, John Poston, C. H. Collom, J. H. Chun, A. P. Speir. the above names have got the measles. Some of them is able to be out. There is others complaining which we think are taking the measles. Capt. Rogers adjoining us has 25 in the hospital and Capt. Richardson has bout 40 in the hospital. We dont send you boys to the hospital. I dont hear of any companys in Camp Moore that suffering half as bad as the Phoenix Rifles, Ouachita Southerns, and the Simmon Stars. I reckon you have heard of the death of our friend, J. W. Cross. His remains was escorted home by Capt. Taylor, H. H. Ham and J. T. Mayfield. No one of our company could be more missed than Cross. He had every attention paid to him that could be. We nurse our sick boys very close. I have learned to be a good nurse and a good cook too. I have so much of both to do that I cant help learning how. Our orderly sergeant is also sick and I have all his business to attend to, and so when night comes I can sleep as sound on the hard plank as I ever could on a feather bed, but all my hard work agrees with me. I wish I could send you some of the biscuits. I think Mother would give it up that I could beat her. It is given up that I am the best cook in the company. I dont have any war news to write you for we dont get papers like you do. I dont know when we will leave here, but it is certain that when we do we will go to N. O. We have regimental drill twice every day, and Sunday and Thursday is our days for dress parade. Our Regt. has got its flag and took it out this evening for the first time. I had the honor of bearing it in the Regt. and saluting old Tracy with it. Ours is the company that bears the flag in the Regt. I wish you could see us on our dress parade days. It is beautiful to see two Regts. All uniformed with their guns and two fine flags in a march behind their music. It makes a fellow feel like fighting. I send you a letter that I rec from Wm. Yesterday. I am sorry to hear about the dispute about the ring. I am in hopes there are no hard feelings about it. I want you to inform all the girls that Jeff is at Camp Moore and is all right on the goose. A letter from any of them would be very exceptible. It at worth while for me to tell where the right came from. It is growing late in the night. I must close my letter. I want you and all the rest to write to me often. Starling has never drop me a line since here I have been. I must call the roll and go to bed. Good by Sallie.

Your brother Jeff