[Letter]: 1863-05-20 from C.W. Rupert to Mother

1863 May 20 from C. W. Rupert (Camp near Fairfax Courthouse) to Mother re: received her letter and package containing envelopes - very much obliged. Lloyd and he are staying comfortably together in one tent, there are about 40 men in his Company nearly all are from Reading and the use Lloyd and C.W. very kindly. One man in company says he knew his father when the father lived in Reading - Mr. John Madarie. The Company is drawing new horses as the old ones are played out. Wants to know about the “nine months men” that went away from Bloom[sburg] that will never get back again. He likes Bloom better than any place he has been yet. “Virginia is nothing but briars and weeds. Can travel for miles around here and never see a fence.” There is plenty to eat - for ten days one pound of coffee, one pound and quarter of sugar, half pint of molasses, one pound of soap, ten pounds pickled pork, one quart beans, one quart rice, half peck potatoes, one candle, enough tea to make about four times, one quart dried apples, one loaf of bread for three meals. Roll call three times a day: five o’clock, one at sun down and one at nine o’clock. Love to father and the girls. C. W. Rupert. “This is for Mother the reason I always direct to Lucy because I can direct better in her name than in in yourn.” F. Rupert. Francis Rupert [two battles were fought near Fairfax Courthouse one in 1861 and another June 27, 1863 which was part of the Gettysburg Campaign. At Fairfax Courthouse was a Union army depot of supplies which Col. James B. Swain sent regiments B & C companies on a mission to guard supplies.]