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New Orleans, La Nov. 19th 1863, Dearest Sister, This eve I received your kind and most welcome letter and now hasten to answer as I will not have time to do so tomorrow. I have just been laying out a corpse. A Sergt. in our Regiment died about a half hour ago, and I had to perform the solemn duty of helping the nurses to attend to the lifeless form. He was not sick very long but a few days. It is not the first sickness he has had since being in the Army. He leaves a widow & children to mourn his loss. As far as I know he was a good & true soldier. May his spirit rest in heaven where there are no war or tumults but all is peace and happiness. He was first stricken down by the dysentary after which he had the [illegible] Fever. Tomorrow I will have to tend to his buriel consequently I answer your letter this evening. I wrote to Mother since our return here and told her about the accident that occured to our Regiment on the first of this month so I will not relate the said same again. Only will say all the wounded are doing fine and that Jim Furgenson is getting along finley and soon will be well. I cant say how long we will remain here we are doing guard duty and might stay all winter but it is hard to tell fore we are liable at any moment to enter again into the field. Our corps has gone into Texas. I believe the point where they