Fort Ramsey Va. March 26th 1863.

Miss Anna Weston!

My kind true friend!

I thank you very much in giving me the satisfaction that you have not forgotten me. I was very amiour[?] that I had said to much about politics in my last letter to Miss Deborah, but I am not aware of it, that I said anything out of the way which could displease her. -- If I did, I should be very sorry & grievous.

I am very glad in hearing that Mrs Weston is well and in good health. -- Please give her my kind regard and remembrance. Thinking that we shall fight this Summer with great ??? to have our work finished up, and freedom and conformity spread all over our territory south, north, east and west. ------

I am also very glad that Waosey[?] Ian spent the Winter season in Weymouth with pleasure in enjoying the fine sliding and sleighing. I think very often of him and indeed I should like to see him. --- He is a very smart little gentleman and would make a good officer if he was a little older. -- I send him my best love in hope that he is well.

Your good report of Almira and little Anna is delightful to me. I write very often to her but one spell she neglect[ed] in answering my letters promptly. --- She and I talk about a furlough in coming home on a 10 days visit. --- I should like it very much to come and see my family or friends before we go in forder [further] of action move to the front --- but it is very hard and most impossible for a man here to get a furlough without having particular reason, or by a letter to the Captain by some citizen. A good many of our men have applied to go home, but Captain Bigelow said that he could not make a pass out different having some reason which is approved by Authority from home. Our Captain is a very nice gentleman and in I believe a true anty[anti] slavery man.

All our Lieutenants have been home. -- Lieut. Whitaker is going to day to Boston. Sergt. [John L.] Fenton just got home to day. --- Mr. [Priv. Lucian J.] Sanderson was favored by the Major of Cambridge in writing to Capt. John Bigelow --- he started yesterday.

I can not send you much news from here this time. I suppose you know all about of the Rebel Mosby. Said here into Fairfax Court House in taking Gen. Stoughton out of his bed. -- I think if Colonel Wyndham had been there that night, Mosby would have not been so successful. --- I will give you a short description of their great Cavalry Acting Brig. Gen. Wyndham. I have seen him very often, for he used to come regular once a week to see Captain de Vecchi. Col. Wyndham is a English nobleman in his prime of thirty years. -- He is very quick and very well educated in military business. -- He came out as Colonel of a New Jersey Cavalry Regs and has distinguished himselve very much in the battles and in his bold raids in Duzier[?] Land in taking his stand by surprising Warrenton few weeks ago, in which some of our Lieutenants were present for a pleasure trip.

In the Bull Run battle he saw men of one of our batterys skedalled and the were taken but Wyndham made a charge and retook them and pointed the guns himselve at the enemy, and carried the battery into our line. --- This I heard his own men talking to me for a ???. He was once taken prisoner and paroled, but has taken up the sword again for revenge, and was Acting Brig. Gen. over the Cavalry at around Fairfax.

He would go to Washington once a week, generally at Sundays to spend in the City. -- He would send for orderly in advance with horses so that he would mount several fresh ones to fly ??? all the time to reach Washington. -- He had several quarrels in the hotell about politics. -- A good many times that he would knock a man down. ----- It happened that a very wealthy man called him a liar a few weeks ago in the City. So that Wyndham slap[p]ed him in the face, was herewith detained, which did prevent him for being present that night. -- As Stoughton was taken, but in hearing that Mosby had been in Fairfax he swore that he would seek revenge. He was then released and has got a very important command in the front to Fredricksburg so that he does not visit Washington so often. -- He is a brave and one of our best Cavalry officers in the army, beloved by all the soldiers which know him.

The weather is getting to be very pleasant here. The grass begins to look green and the birds sing now. It seems as if the army will be on the move to day. We saw a good many baggage trains going by here south --- also 400 men of Cavalry. --

We are very busy at present in carting our manure of from the stable. I wish we had some home of it. Then it in very good and would be of great use of the land.

We have great courage now, it seems to every one, as when we shall be successful this Spring. Our heart is light and in hope to go to work soon. The time when we will triumph to have it settle by our wish, by going home to live with them, we do miss now.

I suppose of this war should hold on long yet. Then Peter got to come out. I wrote to him a few days ago. If he likes, he may join me in this battery. It is a good deal better for him then in infantry.

My best & kind regard to Mrs Weston, to Mrs Chapman & to all. In hope to see our victory accomplished at Charlston, Port Hudson & T???burg.

Remain I truly your friend
Augustus Hesse