Fort Ramsey VA: January 26th: 1863

Miss Anna Weston!

My kind and dear friend, in hope that you are in a good health, also that you arrived home at Weymouth save. ---

Write I to you in answer to your letter of Staten Island the ??? ??? for the stamps. I thank you very much.

I was very sorry that day I was in the city, finding that you had left in the morning, I arrived about ten o Clock, went then to an Ambrotype house to have my likeness taken, which I thought to send to Almira. I went to Willards Hotel but the clerk informed me that you had left in the morning.

I then went to Camp Barry to our old camp, put up my horse and spent the day with a German who lives there. At seven o Clock p.m. I arrived at my old fort in Virginia knowing that I was in duty for the country; for I do work all I can to uphold the liberty which we try to defend. When shall we get a chance to prove it, that we are earnestly -- it will be when we have the opportunity to go into the battle which must be fought desperate eager. The time has come very soon to do this and I will say this spring when the buds of flower breaks out yet this Spring when every thing awakens from slumber, the birds will singing, the grass will grow. Flowers will look pretty -- the trees will look green again and the air will smell great, every thing will look pleasant -------.

It will be the same with our great army which we have in the field. I believe so for the army, this great army the last two calls for 300,000 men have not awaken yet, because the time as they were organized and sent of[f], the Winter set in so that we could not make great movements. We had to go into Winter quarters -- to seek shelter like a worm crawls in the ground. But this Spring, our army will be in motion -- they will leave the winter camps and will seriously desire to march in the battle. Every soldier will feel fresh and new -- because they know that it is the only time to fight to drive the rebels out of Virginia, and so on forced till they reach the Gulf of Mexico. --- Peace will then be proclaimed for ever.

I am gunner now. I have the opportunity to point my gun myselves into action to mow them down like grass. -- I wish they came near enough to feed them with canister by jolly they shall fall like Moschestor[?].

My kind respect to Mrs Weston & all the rest.

You loving friend
Augustus Hesse